
Cllass 
Book- 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 




Oass 
Book- 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT 



THE 

AMERICAN BOYS' 
WORKSHOP 



THE 



AMERICAN BOYS' WORKSHOP 



EACH SUBJECT BY AN EXPERT 



Entirely Rewritten and Edited 
BY 

CLARENCE B. KELLAND 

I' 

of " The American Boy" 




PHILADELPHIA: 
DAVID McKAY, PUBLISHER, 

604-8 SOUTH WASHINGTON SQUARE 



TT )4d 

.K3 



Copyright, 19 14, by 
David McKay 



AUG 21 (914 



^0/ 



iCl,A370187 



CONTENTS 



BOOK 



PART I 
The Outdoor Boy in Summer 

CHAPTER I PAGE 

Ths Outdoor Boy in Camp 7 

A Camp. — Camp Chairs. — Camp Kitchen. — Camp Bed. — Camping 
Conveniences. — Camp Suggestions. — Camp Furniture. — A Carry- 
all. — A Canoe Truck. — Fishhook Holder. — Another Camp Lamp. 

CHAPTER II 

How TO Build a Log Cabin 19 

Building the Roof. — The Interior Finish. 

CHAPTER III 

The Boy Fisherman 24 

A Fishing Rod. — A Minnow Trap. — A Fish Wheel. — A Minnow Net. 
— A Frog Trap. — A Crab Trap. — A Fish Stringer. — A Marine 
Telescope. 

PART II 
The Aquatic Boy 

CHAPTER I 
A Flat Bottom Row Boat 37 

CHAPTER II 

A Canoe 40 

i 



ii CONTENTS 

CHAPTER III PAGE 

How TO Manage a Canos 46 

CHAPTER IV 
A Small Sail Boat 50 

CHAPTER V 
How to Sail a Boat 57 

CHAPTER VI 

A Punt 61 

A Log Cruiser. — Swimming Sail Raft. — A Sailing Catamaran. — 
A Canoe Stmit.— A Boat Shade.— Boat Lift. 



CHAPTER VII 

The Boy Swimmer — Devices that Will Aid Him 69 

A Swimming Teacher. — Swimming Help. — A Swimming Float. — 
Shoot the Chute. 



PART III 
The Outdoor Boy at Home 

CHAPTER I 

Easily Bltilt Means of Locomotion 77 

A Sail Cart.^A Single Coaster. — A Scooter. — Steering Gear. — How 
to Make a Wheelbarrow. 

CHAPTER II 
H ow TO Build a Model Hydro- aeroplane 85 

CHAPTER III 

How to Build a Good Model Aeroplane 93 

A Machine that Will Fly One Thousand Feet. 

CHAPTER IV 
Two Very Simple Model Aeroplanes 99 



CONTENTS iii 

CHAPTER V PAGE 

KiTBS 104 

A Large Plane Kite.— A Man Lifting Kite.— A Box Kite.— A Tubu- 
lar Kite. — Kite Parachute. 

CHAPTER VI 

An Outdoor Gymnasium 112 

Gymnasium Ladder. — A Swing Trainer. — A Whirling Swing. — 
Spring Board. — A Hammer-throwing Device. 

CHAPTER VII 
A Hanging Whirligig 120 

CHAPTER VIII 

Two Tree Climbing Devices 122 

For Nutting Season. — A Wire Climber. 

CHAPTER IX 
The Bow and Arrow 125 

CHAPTER X 

Miscellaneous Things Handy for the Boy to Know 137 

Animal Cage. — A Bird House. — A Rabbit Trap. — A Clever Trap. — 
Water Whistle. — A Tree Tent. — A Wave Motor Signal. — Automatic 
Waterer.— A Wind Mill.— A Tin Wind Mill.— A Model Lift Bridge.— 
A Bean Blower. — A Hallowe'en Ghost. 



PART IV 
The Outdoor Boy in Winter 

CHAPTER I 
How to Build an Ice Boat 153 



CHAPTER II 

All Sorts ok Sleds 158 

A Double Runner.— A Bob Sled.— The Single Runner.— A Straddle- 
bug. — A War Sled. — A Winter Fun Maker. — A Winter Merry-go- 
round. — Tunnel. 



iv CONTENTS 

CHAPTER III 
Winter Sport in the Back Yard 169 

CHAPTER IV 
The Boy Skater 172 

Sharpening Skates. — Skating Sails. 

CHAPTER V 
A Winter Tilting Game 177 

CHAPTER VI 

Skees and Skeeing 179 

A Skee Glider. 

CHAPTER VII 
A Snow Fort 183 

CHAPTER VIII 
Miniature Ice Yachts 185 



BOOK II 

PART I 
The Indoor American Boy 

CHAPTER I 
A Boy's Workshop 189 

CHAPTER II 

A Work-bench 193 

A Smaller Work-bench. — A Work Corner. — A Drawing Table. 

CHAPTER III 

A Boy's Room 199 

Reading Corner. — A Window Seat. — A Rustic Lounge. — A Simple 
Table. — A Desk. — A Sectional Bookcase. — A Book Shelf. — A Curio 
Cabinet. — A Mission Oil Lamp. — A Checker Table. 



CONTENTS V 

CHAPTER IV jAGE 

Mission Furniture 214 

Combination Bookcase and Desk. — A Seat. — A Writing Table. — 
A Table. — A Handkerchief Box. — ^A Cabinet Stand. — A Desk. — 
A Stand. — Blacking Case. — Telephone Set. — Plant Stand. 

CHAPTER V 

Novelties for Christmas Presents 235 

Book Shelf. — An Umbrella Holder. — Waste Basket. — Hanging 
Flower Box. — Combination Clock and Shelf. — For My Chum: 
Matchholder. — For Grandma: Foot Stool. — For Father: A Shaving 
Cabinet. — A Mission Candle Stick. — An Ash Receptacle. 

CHAPTER VI 

A Boy's Gymnasium 250 

A Rowing Machine. — The Jumping Hurdle. — Chest Weight 
Machine. — Parallel Bars. — Vaulting Horse. — A Grip Machine. — 
Methods of Handling the Punching Bag. — Punching Bag Drum. — 
A Portable Punching Bag Disc. — Other Ways to Do It. 

CHAPTER VII 

Interesting Toys 267 

Pile Driver Model. — Fiddle Drill.— The Wind Wagon.— A Revolving 
Wind Mill. — A New Parachute Idea. — A Hallowe'en Noise Maker. — 
A Dirigible. — A Flyer. 

CHAPTER VIII 

Some Noveiv Ideas and Hints 279 

The Shoestring Chain or Fob. — A Sketching Idea. — Framing Pic- 
tures. — ^Ash Sifter. — How to Repair a Chair. — Shoe Tree. 



PART II 
Miscellaneous Helps 

CHAPTER I 
SMAI.L Fur Bearers and How to Catch Them 285 

CHAPTER II 
How to Run 293 

CHAPTER III 
Signalling eor Boys 297 



vi CONTENTS 

PART III 
Rope Work Every Boy Should Enow 

CHAPTER I PAGE 

Simple and Useful Knots 307 

CHAPTER II 
Eye Knots — Hitches and Bends 314 

CHAPTER III 
Ties and Lashings 327 

CHAPTER IV 
Hammock Making 333 



INTRODUCTION 



There isn't a boy in the United States who has not some time 
started out to make something he needed very much. Possibly 
it was a fishpole, possibly it was a rowboat, possibly it was a 
desk for his room. Anyhow, he needed it, and tried to make it. 
For every boy who succeeded in turning out what he wanted 
there are a hundred who failed — and they failed because they 
didn't know just how to go at it. If they had had a hint or a 
few suggestions as to plan, or a drawing to follow, they would 
have built their fishpoles or boats or desks. And that is one of 
the reasons for publishing this book — to give the boy the help 
he must have to make what he needs. 

The book has a dozen other purposes besides the mere giving 
of something interesting to read. Suppose, for instance, you 
are in camp, far from any town, and you find there are necessi- 
ties of camp furniture you have forgotten. This book tells you 
how to make them right where you are. Suppose a rainy day 
comes along and you can't think of anything to pass away your 
time. This book will give you no end of suggestions. Possibly 
you want to make your father or mother a present : run through 
this book and you will find dozens of articles you can make at 
little cost. "The American Boy's Workshop" will help you in 
summer and in winter. It will help you at home or in the woods. 
It is the sort of book a boy wants to carry with him wherever 
he goes, because it contains something that will be useful or 
amusing to him wherever he is. 

Nearly all the matter contained in "The American Boy's 
Workshop" has appeared in that excellent boy's magazine. The 
American Boy. It has been carefully re-edited and arranged, 
and is issued in this form by permission of The Sprague Publish- 
ing Company. The bulk of the chapters were prepared by John 
ly. Dougheny for the "For Boys to Make" department in the 
magazine. Other chapters were written by specialists — men 



viii INTRODUCTION 

especially fitted to take care of a certain subject. For instance, 
the chapter on "Signalling" was written by Lieutenant W. S. 
Anderson, of the United States Navy. The chapter on "Small 
Fur Bearers and How to Catch Them ' ' was written by George J. 
Thiesen, a noted trapper and woodsman. The chapter on "The 
Bow and Arrow " is by A. Hyatt Verrill, and so on. So, you see, 
you are getting help not from one man alone, but from many 
men of wide experience, each writing about the thing he knows 
best. 

It is hoped the book will bring pleasure to every boy who 
reads it, that it will prove valuable to him in his everyday plans, 
that it will help to strengthen his muscles, heighten his manhood, 
and contribute toward making him in every way worthy of 
bearing the name that forms part of the title of this book — an 
"American Boy." 

Clarence Budington Kelland. 



BOOK I 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



PART I 
THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 



CHAPTER I 
The Outdoor Boy in Camp 

A CAMP 

In the past few years people have awakened to the great value 
of fresh air, and camping, which was thought to be the folly of 
youth or the necessity of backwoods folks, has come into favor. 
Every available camping spot is being searched out and utilized. 
You need not go far away to camp. Boys have been known to 
pitch their tents on lawns and neighboring farms, in parks and 
academy grounds, to say nothing of some of the big city youngsters 
who are forced to choose the roofs of buildings for their open-air 
home. 

The ideal camping ground is, of course, by the side of a lake or 
river. Make sure of your water supply and drainage, and have 
the open side face the south. The drawing shows the simplest 
outfit arranged in convenient style. The kind of tent used is 
called a wall tent. The poles used can be cut in the woods; 
the stakes and lines should be carried. The fire should be 
at least twenty feet away from the tent, to avoid danger of fire 
and inconvenience from smoke. The table erected near the tree 
will be found a luxury when compared with eating while squatted 
around the fire. The cupboard suspended from the tree near the 

7 



8 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



table contains dishes and salt, pepper, vinegar, etc. Do not keep 
sugar with the other food supplies or you will have all the ants in 
the country paying you a visit. 

The outfit shown can be easily carried in a rowboat or canoe 
and can be set up by four boys in an hour. You will need an axe, 
fishing tackle, waterproof match safes, pliers, sharp knives, some 
peroxide and vaseline, clean cloths for bandages for scratches, extra 
pairs of shoes, sun hats, and pillows. 




'A boys' camp. 



Here are a few sketches that will give the beginner an idea of 
how to set up a canvas quickly. Fig. i is the lean-to, and has two 
forked poles about six feet high in front and a cross-bar that rests 
upon them. A stake is driven at each of the rear corners for guy- 
ing. The canvas for this style of tent should be of oblong shape, 
say about i8 x 8 feet. 

Another very simple and practical shelter tent is shown in Fig. 2. 
It is used mostly as protection from the sun and the ends are open 
to admit the breezes. The same instructions as to canvas and 
poles that were given in regard to the lean-to hold good here; in 
fact, the material required for each tent is the same and you can 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 9 

erect your shelter in the form of Fig. i or like Fig. 2, whichever 
suits your convenience best. 

In Fig. 3 we have a simpler shelter than either of the foregoing. 
No poles are required and the canvas need not be of any particular 
shape, although a piece nearly square will be the handiest. This is 




CAMP T^NTS. 



a tent that you can rig up very quickly on the bank of a creek when 
fishing, to keep your lunch cool and dry if a thunder storm happens 
to come along. 

Figure 4 is a rigging for the home that enables the sleeper to 
have his head and shoulders out of doors. Doctors all over the 
country are unceasingly preaching fresh air and it behooves us 



lO 



THE BOYS' WORKvSHOP 



to heed their advice. It is best to begin to sleep outdoors in 
the summer, so that our system will be accustomed to it before 
the cold weather comes on. This shelter, supposed to be erected 
in the rear of the house, consists of a bracket shelf that may be 
bolted to the house, so as to admit of being readily removed. 
The canvas is erected in the manner shown or in any way that 
affords protection from dew, wind, and rain. 

CAMP CHAIRS 

The seats pictured here are so simple that they require little 
explanation on my part. They are designed for camping pur- 
poses, but there is no reason why you cannot make them for 
your lawn or playground ; in fact, their rustic appearance makes 




ViS'l 




TigZ. 



CAMP CHAreS. 



them as appropriate for a lawn as for any purpose I know of. 
It is an easy matter to find the pieces needed, but you should be 
careful not to strip your neighbor's trees of any branches, or your 
own, without permission from some of the older members of the 
family. Before attempting to drive long nails or screws in this 
green wood, bore holes with a small bit. Shave off all knots and 
bumps with a sharp knife and paint the spots with shellac or 
varnish to keep them from splitting. The chair and stool may 
be made in take-down style by tying the joints together with 
cord, and in this way can be taken apart and carried very easily. 
If made for the lawn it is just as well to screw them together 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER ii 

CAMP KITCHEN 

Here is a picture of a camp cookery that ought to suggest a 
quickly arranged and quite convenient way of getting meals 
started while out roughing it. It is not easy to find a piece of 
suitable wire out in the woods, but no doubt you would have no 
trouble in locating a forked stick or enough of them to fill your 
needs. They are tied to the tripod with rope, but this lashing 




CAMP KITCHEN. 



must be far enough away from the fire to be safe from burning. 
The three poles that form the tripod are lashed together as shown 
in Fig. I. 

CAMP BED 

One of the simplest camp beds is shown in Fig. i. It consists 
of a rectangular piece of canvas with a wide hem at each side. 
Through the opening formed by these hems poles are thrust and 
their ends are then rested upon two logs as shown. It is a very 
comfortable bed for camping and the canvas that goes to make it 
may be used for other purposes in the daytime. This is an ad- 



12 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



vantage not to be scorned, for the chief aim of the seasoned camper 
is to get along with as few things as possible or, in other words, to 
use everything for as many different purposes as possible. 

The lower cuts. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4, show two fireplaces. The 
first is a three-sided wall built of stones. One side is left open to 
receive the draft, the others are closed to retain the heat. A 

Fig 1 

' ^°cH ;ii..'li'W ■'.; , ;^,/ -Y^-,-,. :■>.■■■■■ ■!i',\'ri.k' ':pt;::^,^ 



Fig 2 




CAMP BEDS AND FIREPLACES. 



camp fire like this will serve your needs for broiling and frying 
fish and making coffee quite as well as a costly camp stove. 

Figure 4 shows the familiar arrangement of pots and kettles over 
an open bonfire. This is a more satisfactory method of cooking 
than the tripod just described under the heading "Camp Kitchen," 
but it is well to know about both. The first can always be made 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 13 

in the woods. The arrangement in Fig. 4 requires wire for hooks, 
boards, etc., which have to be provided ahead of time. It seems 
that nothing at home ever tasted as good as the stuff one cooks in 
the open air. It is not always convenient to find an overhanging 
Hmb where we want it, but it is possible to find a piece of board 
and nail it just where it will do the most good, if one would only 
think of it in time. If you carry a few spikes and a piece of 
heavy wire to make hooks you will never be at a loss for a place 
to boil your coffee. 

CAMPING CONVENIENCES 

An almost endless variety of ideas could be applied to the yearly 
camping trip. There are pictured here some things that will cost 
you absolutely nothing to try and which may prove convenient 
and serviceable. 

Figiure i shows a method of baking bread. Get a green branch 
and peel off the bark, making one end pointed. The sharp end 
is driven six inches into the ground at a point five or six feet away 
from the fire. Mix up your dough, flatten it out and cut into 
strips. Twist the strip in a spiral around the end of the peeled 
stick and hold it as close to the fire as you wish by bending it 
down. 

Figure 2 is a device used for climbing trees. It is simply a 
piece of strong wire twisted to the shape shown. The foot rests 
in the small loop or stirrup and the climber encircles the tree 
with his arms in the usual wa)^ The wire will be easily drawn up, 
but it sticks going down and provides a foot rest. It is a pioneer 
device of inestimable value on account of its simplicity. Anyone 
can climb a tree with one. 

Figure 3 is one of the best. It is a lantern made with a fruit 
jar and a candle. One piece of wire twisted into the proper 
shape furnishes a candle holder and bail to carry it with. The 
zinc top of the jar must be punched full of holes to admit air to 
the candle. Right under the top kinks or twists are put in the 
wire so that it will not pull through when being carried. In 
unscrewing the jar top the whole device turns. The candle may 
be lifted out at will. This home-made lantern is serviceable and 
trustworthy. It is also safe and easily carried. 



14 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



Figures 4 and 5 represent the use that may be made of a pail. 
With a cover on, as in Fig. 4, it becomes an oven. Fill it with 



Fig.l 




CAMPING CONVENIENCES. 



the food you want to bake and cover with coals. The last is a 
camp warmer. It consists of a pail full of hot stones. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 



15 



CAMP SUGGESTIONS 



ng.2 



Here are a few ideas for the benefit of the inexperienced camper : 
Figure i is a camp fireless cooker. A large water pail is placed 

in a soap box, and then filled in with paper which has been soaked 

until it spreads like mortar. The cover of the 

box must fit tightly and also be covered with 

two inches of paper on the inside. The idea is 

to heat whatever you want to bake, roast or boil 

in a smaller closed pail, and when it is sizzling 

hot, place it quickly into the big pail and cover 

it and the box. It will take the heat four or 

five hours to escape on account of the non-con- 
ductivity of the paper, and your food will go 

on cooking without any danger of being burned. 

Figure 2 is a roaster made of two pie pans. 

Illustration 8 introduces a quartet of suggestions for keeping the 

food in good condition. Figure i is a piece of meat covered with 

gauze and protected from flying insects by means of netting 

stretched over small hoops. In high and dry places it will be 

found very useful. Study a little and you will understand Fig. 2. 




COOKING UTENSILS. 




CAMP SUGGESTIONS. 



The parts "a" and "b" are just the same, only "b" is covered 
with cloth. The top ends of the cloth fit into the upper pail of 
water and thus keep it wet, just as dipping a wick in oil keeps it 
soaked. The lower pail is full of drinking water and it is kept cool 
by the evaporation of the moisture in the cloth. Evaporation 



i6 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



absorbs heat. Try it and see. Figures 4 and 5 are other apphca- 
tions of the same idea. The outer pail and box are perforated and 
the space between each pair is fihed with loose porous stuff like a 
sponge. Keep all where the breeze can strike them. Figure 3 is a 
fish preserver. It is a watertight box, partly submerged to keep it 
cool. All the ideas have been tested and found valuable. 

CAMP FURNITURE 

A LAMP 

Figure i is a handy pail that may be made by punching holes in 
a paint can with a sharp nail . It is useful in carrying minnows or 
small fish. When not being used for this purpose it may serve as 
a lantern by fastening a candle to a block of wood and placing same 
in the pail. The idea for this lamp was hit upon one evening while 




Fig. 2 



rig. a 




Fig. 4 




CAMP FURNITURE. 



fishing. The bullheads began to bite just as darkness was falling, 
and as the party had no lantern the idea of utilizing the pail to 
shield the candle came to them, and at once it was tried. It worked 
excellently and a good string of pan fish were carried home before 
many hours. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 17 

A CARRYALL 

Cut out an oblong piece of canvas and sew straps of the same 
material here and there in the manner shown by cut, to hold the 
saw, axe, and other tools. Leather straps are then riveted to each 
end and when all the tools are intact the kit may be rolled up and 
carried very easily. This carryall is useful in a boy's work room 
or around the home. When you start to do a piece of work hang it 
up over the bench and all the tools you have will be in plain sight 
and you will not have to look for them. 

A CANOie TRUCK 

The little device pictured in Fig. 3 will be useful in carrying a 
canoe from place to place over land. It consists of a small plat- 
form made of pine boards mounted on a pair of wheels. The 
wheels may be purchased for a few cents at any junk shop. Notches 
are chiseled out of the center of the long cleats and a piece shaped 
like the letter U is fitted into them. This U-shaped piece is the 
part upon which the canoe rests and should be padded with canvas 
or felt. In ordinary cases canoes are carried on the shoulders in an 
inverted position and, of course, it is necessary to empty everything 
out to do so. By the use of this little truck the canoe becomes the 
holder of all freight and may be pushed along like a go-cart. When 
not in use the truck is placed in the boat. 

FISHHOOK HOLDER 

Fishhooks are a hard thing to carry, especially those with leaders 
on. The contrivance shown in Fig. 4 will do away with tangles 
and scratched fingers and safely hold fishhooks enough for the entire 
party. It is made of a block of wood, a staple and a cork. The 
block is 6 X 2 X I inches and the cork is nailed close to one end 
of it. On the opposite end a staple to receive the barbed ends of 
the hooks is driven. The manner in which the device is used is 
clearly shown by the cut. It has been found very handy on a 
good many fishing trips and will repay you a hundredfold for the 
time spent in making it. 



i8 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



ANOTHER CAMP LAMP 

This handy camp Hght or barn lamp is made out of a tin can and 
a candle. First bend a piece of wire to the shape of "a" and fit 
it into the can for a handle. As a candle holder, cut, with a chisel, 
across "b" in the bottom of the can. The points turned up, form 
the socket. One end of the can is open, and the other is punched 



rtg.L 




A CAMP LAMP. 



full of holes. The flame of the candle playing on the top of the 
can may heat the handle too much. This can be overcome by 
wrapping with insulated wire or cloth. A wooden hand-hold 
taken from a pail will also do for the purpose. This light is in- 
tended for an emergency, when no other is available. You may 
find it useful when you least expect to. 



CHAPTER II 
How to Build a Log Cabin 

The log cabin marks the beginning of American architecture. 
It was the log house that sheltered the Pilgrims from the weather 
and Indian attacks, and it was this same style of structure in which 
Abraham Lincoln and many other of our statesmen were born. 
In the first cabins the window openings were covered with oiled 
paper, as there was no glass in the country until some years later, 
when it was brought over from England. 

Although the cabin went out of use as a dwelling very rapidly 
when saw-mills came into existence, it is still to be found in the 
timber regions and mountains. Certainly a better forest home 
could not be wished for. 

Boys who enjoy life in the woods and have an opportunity to 
spend their time among the trees, should build themselves a cabin. 

In choosing a site be careful to select an elevated spot. Do not 
locate your camp at the base of a hill or near marshy and boggy 
ground. Be sure that good drinking water can be had near at 
hand. 

After selecting a place for your cabin, you must decide upon the 
style and size to build it. These must be determined largely by 
the size and amount of timber you can procure. A plan for a 
cabin simple in design and construction is shown in Fig. i. This 
may be altered to suit the builder. 

Most of the material for the cabin can be secured in the woods ; 
but for a good roof, floor, and the finishing of the door and window 
openings, some boards should be taken along. There is no rule for 
the diameter of the timber to be used, but logs of small diameter 
are to be preferred for a small cabin. Cut all the logs about two 
feet longer than the inside dimensions of the building. If the plan 
here given is followed, the logs should be twelve and fourteen 
feet long. Leave the bark on the logs. 

19 



20 



THE BOYS' WORKvSHOP 




To start the cabin, stake out its length and breadth upon the 
ground; clear the space of all trees and brush, and make the ground 
as nearly level as possible. It will be unnecessary to have a foun- 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 21 

dation for a cabin of this size. Select two fourteen-foot logs for 
sills and lay them upon the ground, parallel to each other and ten 
feet apart. 

There are several ways of joining the logs together. Probably 
the most simple scheme is what is known as the lock-joint. As 
shown in Fig. 2 a notch is cut in the logs one foot from each end. 
After cutting the notches in two twelve-foot logs, fit them over the 
sills one foot from the ends. 

If you intend to have a wooden floor, you must lay the floor 
joists at this point. Cut straight poles for these and gain and 
tenon them into the sills, placing them about two feet apart. (See 

Fig- 3-) 

After fastening the joists in place, continue laying the logs, 
placing a fourteen-foot log on each side and then a twelve-foot log 
on each end, until the height of the doors and windows has been 
reached. This should be about six feet eight inches from the floor. 
Cut out the openings and finish them with jambs. 

BUILDING THE ROOF 

When the desired height of the walls has been attained, you are 
ready to construct the roof. There are several ways of framing 
this. Figures 4 and 12 show a simple way. Continue laying the 
end logs as before, but set each pair of side logs a little farther in 
than the preceding pair, until they finally meet at the peak of the 
roof. 

The roof may be thatched or covered with bark, shingles, or 
boards. The thatched roof is the most artistic, and when well 
made will last from ten to fifteen years ; but unless the straw is put 
on very thickly and woven closely, it is likely to leak. If you 
intend to use shingles you will require about four quarter-thousand 
bunches for a roof of this size. Boards will be found the most 
simple and inexpensive covering. These should be put on as 
shown in Fig. 12. First nail a layer of boards across the roof, 
leaving a space of four inches between each board, and then nail 
boards over the spaces. Fasten a ridgepole at the peak to protect 
the edges of the boards. This pole may be made out of a small log 
with a V-shaped piece cut out of it to make it fit over the boards. 
(See Fig. 5.) 



22 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

If you cannot obtain glass for the windows, the openings may be 
covered with paper, or wooden shutters may be made to close the 
openings at night and during storms. 

It is not advisable to build a log chimney and fireplace with the 
intention of making fires in it. Unless built very carefully and 
kept in good repair there is always danger of setting the cabin on 
fire. But whether the fireplace is used or not, it belongs to a log 




riQ.4. 
Sectioo thr-ough-A-A^lookioQ towcxrd f ire-Jaloce • See-JslQof igure- 1- 

cabin and should be built. Nothing is more artistic than the stick 
chimney. 

First cut an opening about three feet high and five feet wide in the 
end of the cabin for the fireplace. Then build up the chimney in the 
same manner as you did the cabin walls, until it extends two feet 
above the top of the fireplace. Use large logs for this portion of 
the chimney and fit the ends against the logs of the main structure. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 



23 



When this has been done, make a stone hearth, filHng in the stones 
with clay, and packing them down until they are level with the 
floor joists. Make the clay linings of the sides of the fireplace 
from ten to twelve inches thick, beating the clay until it becomes 
hard. Smaller sticks may be used for the upper part of the chim- 
ney. Lay these up in clay mortar and line the inside with clay as 
the work proceeds. Figures i and 4 show the details of the fireplace. 
Fasten a shelf above the fireplace on wooden brackets as shown in 
Fig. 4. 

When the carpenter work of the cabin has been completed, 
caulk all the spaces between the logs with clay and moss. In 
doing this use a pointed stick. 



THE INTERIOR FINISH 

The exterior of the cabin being completed, we will turn our 
attention to the finishing of the interior. The cost of the struc- 
ture will be considerably re- 
duced if, instead of making 
a wooden floor, you dry out 
the ground and pack it down 
until it is hard. If you are 
situated where you can pro- 
cure boards, nail them to 
the joists which you set in 
place during the early part 
of the building's construc- 
tion. 

Make the cabin door of 
matched boards, fastening 
them together by means of 
battens at top, center, and 
bottom. If you do not hap- 
pen to have iron hinges, there 
are several ways of making 
good wooden ones. Cut three 
blocks of wood and nail them 
to the inside edge of the door jamb as shown by A, B, and C in Fig. 6. 
Make three wooden hinges, similar to Fig. 7, each about eighteen 




Fig. 6. CABIN DOOR 



24 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



inches long. Round one end of each, and bore a small hole through 
it at D. Nail these three hinges to the door in such a position 
that, when the door is put in place, the ends of the hinges will rest 
on the blocks A, B, C. Now, when you know where the holes 
bored in the hinges come on the blocks, bore a hole through each 
block directly below that in the hinge. When ready to put the 
door on, set it in place and either bolt the hinges to the blocks or 
slip large spikes through the holes. 




Fle.7.(MinQe.) 

DETAILS • ■ or- Door. 



A hinge very commonly used consists of a pole about four inches 
longer than the door. This pole is nailed to the edge of the door, 
one end extending into a hole bored in the floor, and the other end 
into a corresponding hole in the log over the door opening. 

The old-fashioned wooden latch and latchstring is a very good 
and serviceable fastening for a cabin door. The latch should be 
about two feet long and two inches wide (Fig. 8). Make a guard 
similar to that in Fig. 9, cutting a slot in it about three and one- 
half inches long and a little deeper than the latch is thick. The 
catch should be made like Fig. 10, with an incline, so that the latch 
will slide easily into the slot. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 25 

After screwing the latch to the door at E (Fig. 6), fasten the 
guard and catch in place. The catch should be set into a slot cut 
in the door jamb as shown in Fig. 10. Bore a hole through the 
latch at F and another through the door at G (see Figs. 6 and 8) ; 
after which fasten a cord to the latch at F and pass it through the 
hole made in the door. Tie an iron ring or small weight to the end 
of the string hanging outside of the door. Figures 6 and 1 1 show 
the latchstring. The latch, guard, and catch may need some 
adjusting at first to make them work perfectly. 

Two bunks should be arranged in a corner of the cabin as shown 
in Fig. 4. Erect two posts thirty inches from the wall (see H and 
I in Fig. 4), and fasten two cross-pieces, J and K, to them — K 
about twelve inches from the floor. Cut some straight poles about 
three feet long, and gain one end of each into the wall, and fasten 
the other ends to the crosspieces J and K. Place these poles 
about six inches apart (see L in Fig. 4), and cover them with a 
thick layer of straw. 

In addition to a few stools, which can be made out of boxes, you 
should have a corner cabinet for guns, fishing tackle, camera, 
photograph supplies, etc. This may be made out of one of the 
packing cases in which you brought your camping outfit. Attach 
the cover to the front with leather hinges and fasten a few shelves 
inside. 



CHAPTER III 
The Boy Fisherman 

A FISHING ROD 

Here is the way to make a good serviceable fish pole. Get four 
pieces of hickory or any hard wood and trim them nicely to 
even length, say two feet. Each of the sections is now given a 
uniform taper, with jack knife and sandpaper. The diagram, 
Fig. 6, shows the proper scale to follow in shaving off the wood. 




A FISHING ROD. 

In its eight feet of length the pole tapers from one inch in di- 
ameter to one-eighth inch. The figures in the diagram represent 
the amount you would cut off provided the pole measured feet 
instead of inches. The joints are fastened together in quite 
a new way. Cut them to a sharp point as shown in Fig. i, and 
wrap fine silk thread to each of the points. Now dip them in 

26 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 



27 



thin glue, press firmly together and wrap outside of both with 
heavy cord. Any good grade of fish line will do, silk preferred. 
Figures 2 and 3 explain this outside wrapping. The guides for the 
fine to run through are shown in Figs. 4 and 5. Figure 5 is the 
end of the pole. It is a wire loop lashed tightly to the pole. 
Figure 4 is a piece of wire put in at each joint and held there by 
the same wrapping that holds the joints together. The outside 
of the pole should be smoothed with fine sandpaper and then rubbed 
with oil. Though the cost of the pole is next to nothing you will 
find it tough and reliable. 



fw.Z. 



A MINNOW TRAP 

The minnow trap shown here will be found very serviceable 
during the fishing season. It is made of a quart fruit jar and the 
neck of a bottle. The latter must be broken off evenly at a point 
where its diameter is just big enough to fit tightly in the jar top. 
The bottle may be broken 
evenly by filing a mark all 
around and then wrapping a 
fine wire around the scored 
point. The ends of the 
wire extending some distance 
from the bottle are heated 
in a gas flame or by a candle, 
and as steel is a good con- 
ductor of heat the wire 
around the glass will soon 
get quite hot. When its 
temperature increases to a 

point that prevents your touching it, plunge the whole thing into 
a vessel of cold water and the break will come just at the right 
place. 

A variation of this plan is to wrap the bottle with oil-soaked yarn 
and set the latter on fire, then when it has burned off and heated 
the glass dip it into the water. The zinc jar top is cut away until 
only the rim or threaded part remains. If the neck of the bottle 
does not fit snugly, pack it with rubber or cloth. The picture shows 
clearly how it is arranged when finished. A turn of wire at each 




A MINNOW TRAP. 



28 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



end, with an eye twisted at the top, is used to suspend the trap. 
Locate! a shallow place frequented by the minnows, and hang it 
in their midst. After a while they will begin to swim confidently 
into the funnel and only a small percentage will be able to get out. 
This plan has been tried and tested many times and it gives satis- 
faction. 

A FISH WHEElv 

Here is an ingenious minnow trap in the form of a fish wheel 
that will get them if there is any to get. In a word, it is a wheel 

made of wire screen and 
fyof turned by the current. 

The minnow that comes 
near it will be scooped 
up and will fall into the 
trough in the center and 
thence into the box at 
the side. In the north- 
west, where the salmon 
come from, there is one 
with paddles thirty feet 
wide and probably three 
times as long. The cur- 
rent of the Columbia 
River, where it is used, 
is sufficeintly swift to 
turn it, and to aid in 
this there is a large flat 
wooden board at the edge 
of the wire paddle. The 
gigantic wheel is sub- 
merged partly and liter- 
ally scoops up the salmon 
by the ton when they 
are running good. Now 
our trap wheel is to be a 
counterpart of this monster device and will work on the same 
identical principle. Whether or not it scoops up minnows and 
other fish depends on the kind of stream you place it in. If it 




A FISH WHEEL. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 29 

abounds with finny life and has a strong enough current you 
may depend upon its success. 

To make the central part we first cut out two wedge-shaped 
pieces of one-inch board and split them halfway, as shown in A and 
B, Fig. 2. This work can all be done with a saw. First mark out 
a diagram of the whole thing and then saw on the lines. When 
\ finished the two parts are fitted together and nailed. We then fill 
in with four wedges having no slit, C, in Fig. 2. The hub when 
finished will have the appearance of Fig. 3. Each of the four 
troughs should have an incline of two inches. This is important, 
as it is intended to precipitate the minnows into the box. You 
can now nail curved pieces of wood, preferably heavy hoops, to 
the hub and stretch your wire netting over same. This is plainly 
shown in Fig. 5. If you use common fly screen I think the water 
will turn the paddles, but if there is not enough current to do so, 
add some solid substance at the end that the water cannot pass 
through. It need not turn rapidly, one or two complete revolu- 
tions in a minute will be plenty. You can experiment with 
it and will soon be able to rig it up so it will go at about that 
speed. 

The bearing or support of the axle consists of two posts driven 
into a shallow place or a narrow neck of water that has consider- 
able fall. In a small creek or ditch you can easily construct 
such a strait by filling in. For an axle use iron pipe or a couple 
of heavy bolts. The bearing posts should be of hard wood. Bore 
one-inch holes a little down from the top of each and saw out the 
intervening piece. Make the resting place of the axle very smooth 
and smear it liberally with lard or wagon grease. Make the top 
of the posts level by using a carpenter's level on them. If one is 
even slightly higher than the other the wheel will not turn freely. 
You must do your work accurately and carefully here — just as any 
place else — if you expect to get results. 

A MINNOW NET 

Perhaps you do not want to trap your minnows, but do want 
some device you can carry with you to catch the little fellows 
whenever you want them. You can have your fish traps close 
to home where you can watch them; but if you are away in the 



30 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 
I 



woods for a day you will need some wayof Jeplenl&^irfg'iyour^suppl}^') 
of bait, or of getting bait if you have none at all. « 

The scoop net shown herewith may be made from a piece of 
fly screen and a length of heavy wire. The first thing to do is to 
bend the wire to the shape shown in Fig. i . The best way to do 
this is to determine what size you are going to make the frame and 
drive four spikes into a plank about half-way. The spikes should 
be spaced just as you wish the finished frame, say 36 x i8 inches. 

A good way to straighten 
the kinky wire is to draw 
it through a small hole 
or between two rows of 
nails which are one-eighth 
inch apart. Now bend 
it around your four spikes 
to form the rectangle 
needed for the bottom, 
then once more for the 
back, and a larger one for 
the front. With the aid 
of the diagram you can 
easily get the desired 
shape. A pair of pliers 
will be needed to make 
the two rings in the rear 
and to make a twist joint 
where the wire runs out. 
Cover the frame with wire 
cloth. The fastening is 
done by ripping strands of fine wire from the screen and using it 
as thread to sew the rest in place. A broomstick will do for the 
handle. Stick it in and tighten the rings with your pliers. 

The net is used by dragging it through the water and lifting it 
up suddenly at the right moment. It will take you a couple of 
hours to make it neat and strong, but apart from the expenditure 
of time its cost is practically nothing. If your town is near fishing 
waters or near a summer resort you can do a thriving business 
selling minnows to visitors. Between traps and net you should 
be able to keep constantly a good supply on hand. 




T/ci.Z 



A MINNOW NET. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 
A EROG TRAP 



31 



Frogs are splendid bait. Many fishermen prefer them to min- 
nows if they are after bass or pickerel. Then, too, the frogs are 




Fife I 



Fig. 3 



18, S<i, 



F1&2 




■^(aJ/ 





Fi &.A 




1 


8"x 1" 


r 








J 




L 




FI&6 




A PROG TRAP. 



Fig 5. 




desirable for themselves. What better camp dinner or home 
dinner, for that matter, can be imagined than a tender, well-cooked 



32 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

mess of frogs' legs? The old-fashioned way to get your frog is 
to come up behind the prey and deal it a heavy blow with a 
club. It is effective, too, if the hunter has skill. Another way is 
to spear him ^^4th a pike pole. In the South they fish with a 
piece of red cloth for bait and get large numbers of frogs. Then, 
again, some prefer to shoot them with a rifle. But the best, most 
humane, and most satisfactory way to capture the frog is by 
means of a trap. Here is one which has proven an excellent 
success. 

The beginning of our work will be on the square frame pictured 
in Fig. 4. The size is marked 8" x 1", but you may with advantage 
use a heaNder board, as it will sustain more weight without sinking 
below the surface of the water. Next comes the framework that 
rests upon this heaxy enclosure. This frame is constructed of 
i§" X f " strips. They may be nailed right into the frame (Fig. 4) 
and then reinforced by the corner blocks shown in Fig. 5. The 
netting used should be coarse fly screen of about one-quarter inch 
mesh. It is fastened with small staples sold for the purpose at 
hardware stores. The upper portion of the enclosure is left un- 
covered with wire, the latter being bent to the inside, as shown by 
the drawings. We will now make a cover or lid for our trap. It 
consists of a simple frame (Fig. i) covered by the wire cloth. It is 
hinged on and should be provided with a catch or hasp to keep it 
in place. 

To use the trap set it out in the water and tie it to a stake so it 
cannot float away. The lower half will be submerged, as shown in 
the top sketch. Bait of some kind, such as minnows or flies or 
grass-hoppers or bits of red flannel, hangs from the lid near the 
edge, so that the frog will have to jump after it. If he does 
so, he will, of course, land on the inside and will be unable to 
climb out. It ma)'' be possible that this trap will catch more 
than frogs, but that vnU. only add to the fun when you come 
to pull it ashore. 

THE CRAB TRAP 

Crabs are, in some localities, the only bait the large game fish 
will go after, and at such places become indispensable. No matter 
where you are fishing, if crabs are to be had, they are good bait for 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 



33 



bass of all kinds. The net shown in the accompanying cuts is 
easily constructed of scrap material. First twist a piece of wire 
into the shape of a triangle, each side of which measures twelve 
inches. Instead of twisting the ends together, arrange them as 
shown in Fig. 3. A fine piece of wire, taken from an old broom and 
annealed, may be wrapped around the double strands. Make 
four triangles of the same size and cover them with coarse mesh 
screen. The screen can be sewed to the frame by using a raveling 
for a thread. Lay the completed sides on the floor in the position 
indicated by Fig. 2. 

Each of the three outer 
triangles are hinged to the 
central one by means of two 
small wire loops. Next put 
in three corset steels, weav- 
ing them in and out of the 
screen. Their purpose is to 
hold the trap open flat as in 
Fig. 2. Now tie a stout fish 
line to each of the outer 
comers of Fig. 2. About 
two feet from the frame 
bring the three cords to- 
gether and tie them to the 
main string. Figure 4 illus- 
trates this pretty clearly. 
"N" is a large heavy nut 
threaded onto the line. As 
it drops down it will draw 
the three strands together 

and cause the wide open trap to close on its prey. A good way to 
straighten wire is to draw it between two rows of spikes which 
have been driven close together. 

The trap is used as follows : Drop it to the bottom of the stream 
from a boat or dock, and the steels will cause it to open flat. In 
clear water you can see the crabs crawl after whatever bait 
you are using; if not, at given inter\^als drop the heavy nut 
and haul to the surface. It is very effective and can be easily 
carried. 




A CRAB TRAP. 



34 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



A FISH STRINGER 

Here is a stringer that will do good work on your camping trip. 
Get a piece of wire which has been taken from a bale of hay and 
twist a handhold on one end, as in Fig. 2. The other end is sharp- 
ened and must be concealed in a cork or bit of wood to avoid prod- 
ding the hands. The wire of the size mentioned is intended for 
small pan fish. If you are out for larger fish, use heavier wire. 
The bending is rather hard to do unless the wire is annealed. 
This means softened or made more pliable. It is accomplished 
by heating the wire to a cherry red and then cooling as slowly as 
possible, by turning the fire down a little at a time. As may be 



ng.i fjg-.j. rig.2. 




'=r 



A FISH STRINGER. 



readily seen, the stringer is also used to carry the catch home. If 
you make one of them it will not take more than a few minutes 
and it will prove itself a worthy addition to your camp kit. 



A MARINE TELESCOPE 

A marine telescope probably will never catch a fish for you, but 
it may be very useful on a fishing trip. With it you can locate 
sunken stumps, submarine weed-beds, and fish-beds themselves. 
But that is not the best use for it. You can study submarine life, 
can find no end of pleasure sitting quietly on your boat and watch- 
ing what goes on in the water beneath you. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN SUMMER 



35 



The materials required for a submarine telescope are very simple, 
consisting of a few feet of thin board, a small oblong piece of glass, 
some wire nails, and a piece of sealing wax. The glass may be 
three by four inches or larger. 

Saw from quarter-inch boards four pieces of the same length, 
twenty inches, two each of widths to correspond with dimensions 
of the glass. Nail these together into the box shown open at 
both ends. Lay the piece of glass over one end and fasten securely 
in place with pins driven into the wood and twisted over. Large 
headed tacks may be used instead, if desired, the tacks being driven 




A MARINE TELESCOPE. 

in the wood and their heads overlapping the glass edges, thus 
holding the glass in place. Then make the glass end watertight 
by closing up all seams with the sealing wax. 

When in use the glass end is placed in the water while you look 
down through the open end. The light is thus shut out from all 
parts except that which must come through the glass end, an inch 
or two under water. The water telescope is long enough for you 
to sit comfortably in the boat and still watch the world under water 
at the same time. 



> 



^HEETi 



FLAT BOTTOM ROW BOAT 

L.engtk 15 ft. ^ Beam 44m.^ Depth isia. 




1 

4 



sz/esT-'Z 



FLAT BOTTOM ROW BOAT, 



no/ 




PART II 
THE AQUATIC BOY 



CHAPTER I 

A Flat Bottom Row Boat 

Here is a very simple and serviceable boat, designed for boys. 
Before beginning actual work see that all your tools are in good 
condition. Next look over the drawings reproduced herewith, 
and get a clear idea of how you are going to do each step of the job. 
Sheet I is a plan that shows every little detail and dimension, 
and the lad of sixteen or more will really not require any more 
assistance than is furnished by this print. Sheet 2 is a supple- 
mentary drawing, that gives pictures, not plans, of each important 
stage of the construction. 

You should have the two drawings close at hand as you proceed 
so that you can refer to them instantly. First saw out the molds, 
No. I, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4, on Sheet i. The exact size is shown. 
Nail them to a plank as shown in Fig. i (Sheet 2). They should 
not rest on the plank, but should have the amount of space between 
as is indicated by the clearance notes printed under each one. 
We now tack the sideboards or side streaks on to the molds and 
bring them to a point at the bow or fore end. Put in the stern 
board and the middle bottom board. This is shown in Fig. 2 
(Sheet 2). The molds are merely to aid us in shaping the boat, 
and nothing must be nailed to them except temporarily. Figure 5 
shows how the sideboards will have to be shaved off with a plane 
so the bottom boards will lay flat upon them. The stem of the 
boat is marked Fig. 3. Its dimensions are shown clearly. Use 
great care in cutting it out. Figure 7 shows how the sideboards fit 
into this stem piece. The boat now begins to look like the real 
thing. We have the sides, stern, stem, and bottom complete. 

37 



38 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

We next put in the ribs and floor timber. F'igures 7 and 6 
on Sheet 2 show this clearly. The seat riser is a lon<; cleat nailed 
to the ribs. The lloor, as in Fig. 10, consists of long cleats nailed 
to the lloor timber. We now put on the seats and the little deck- 
ing at the bow end of the boat. Next come the blocks for the oar- 
locks, shown very clearly in Fig. 8 (Sheet 2). Along the whole 
length of the boat at the top of the sideboards and stern is a strip 
called the fenderwalc. It is shown in the drawing marked 
"stern view" on Sheet i. The keel is also shown. The keel is a 
hard board nailed to the bottom of the bottom of the boat. It 
protects it when sliding on the sand of a creek bed or in shallow 
water. 

BIIvIv OP MATERIAL 

Sides. — Two boards 16' long, 16" wide, and |" thick. 
Bottotn. — One piece, length 14' 4", width 8", thickness f". 

Two pieces, length 13' 8", width 7", thickness f". 

Two pieces, length 12', width 7", thickness §". 

Thickness of all bottom boards is the same. 
Molds. — (No. 1) one piece, length t,;^", width 15", thickness |". 

(No. 2) one piece, length 44", width 15", thickness I". 

(No. 3) one piece, length 43.5", width 14.5", thickness |". 

(No. 4) one piece, length 40", width 13.5", thickness I". 

Thickness of all molds is the same. 
Sterti Board. — One piece, length 32", width 13", thickness |". 
Seats. — Two pieces, 15" x 10" x |". 

Two pieces, 12" x 7". 

Two pieces, 18" x 10". 

One piece, 39" x 10". 

One piece, 42" x 10". 

All seats are the same thickness. 
Deck. — One piece, 13" x 12" x |". 
Stem. — One piece, 17" long x 3!" x 2j". 
Oarlock Blocks. — Four pieces, 10" x 2.5" x 2.5". 
Ribs and Floor Timbers. — 42 feet of i" square oak strips. 
Scat Risers. — Two strips, 14' long x 2" wide x I" thick. 
Floor Strips. — Two pieces, 8' long x 2" wide x }" or ^" thick. 

Two pieces, 8' long x 2" wide x Y' or h" thick. 

Four pieces, 12' long x 2" wide x I" or I" thick. 



THE AQUATIC BOY 39 

Foot Braces. — Four pieces, 8" long x if" wide x 1". 
Two pieces, 10" long x i" x i". All of oak. 

Oarlock Block Supports. — Four pieces, 15" x 2" x i". Y (Fig. 8). 
Four pieces, 17" x 2" x f". Z (Fig. 8). 

Fenderwale. — Two long strips, 16' long x 2" wide x \" thick. 

Keel. — Oak board, i" thick, 4" wide, and 15' long. 

Use 2 -inch clout nails for nailing bottom. Brass screws in all 
sizes from i inch long to 3 inches long will be required. Get 
10 cents' worth of each size and fill out with more if the work de- 
mands. The boat should receive two coats of paint inside and 
three coats outside. This will take two gallons of paint and one 
gallon of boiled oil for thinning purposes. Oarlocks cost 25 cents 
a pair, two pairs are required. Caulk all cracks in the bottom 
with oakmn. 

The mark C) means feet; the mark {") means inches; 2.5" 
means two and a half inches. 

Work ven,' slowly and carefully. Three weeks is good time in 
which to make this boat right. 



CHAPTER II 

A Canoe 

One of the most interesting boats to build, and one of the 
safest and most serviceable when properly handled is the canoe. 
To construct a strong, safe canoe is not difficult if adequate direc- 
tions are followed. It is the purpose of this chapter to tell you 
in detail how to work and what materials to buy. It is written 
for the average boy who has only a hammer and saw and plane 
to work with and but a few dollars to spend on pleasure craft. 

It will occur to you at once that the hardest part of boat con- 
struction is the shaping. Anyone could build a long box, but how 
are we going to accomplish the graceful curving of the sides and 
the neat tapering of the ends ? We must build forms or molds for 
this purpose, and the strips to be bent must be pliable and softened 
by immersion in boiling water or steam for hours. 

The very first thing to do is to set up a heavy plank on two 
strong trestles. It is marked "Z" in Fig. i, Plate i. Mark the 
center and a line four feet each side of the center. Then make 
one mold or form like "A" and two like "B." Figure 2 shows 
exact dimensions for one-half of mold "A," Fig. 3 is one-half of "B." 
When you have the molds completed, set the big one "A" on 
the center line of the plank and nail it securely; the two smaller 
ones "B" are fastened to the four-foot lines you have drawn. 
We now fasten to each end of the plank the curved piece shown 
by Fig. 5. The exact curvature of this 50-inch oak or ash strip 
is indicated by the figures. It is shaped by being softened and 
bound to a form as shown for several days. The first two long 
strips or gunwales " W" are screwed to the stem and stern pieces 
and to the molds. Next temporarily fasten the pair "X" and 
the pair " Y." The work so far described is by far the most diffi- 
cult to do. When complete the skeleton of the canoe will look 
like Fig. i in Plate i. The joint and shape at the ends of those 
long strips is shown by Fig. 7. 

40 



THE AQUATIC BOY 



41 



The putting in of the ribs is our next concern. They should 
be green elm, hickory, or ash, three-eighths inch thick and one and 
one-half inches wide, and long enough to make the curve from gun- 
wale to gunwale. The center or longest one is the first to be put 
in, as " R" in Fig. 6 shows. It goes outside of "X" and "Y" and 
inside the gunwales "W." The ribs are placed one inch apart 



FIG. a 



FIG. 4. 



FIG. 3. 




FIG. 5 



CANOE PLAN. 



and are fastened with galvanized nails. The boihng or softening 
of the ribs may be done by making a steamtight box as in Fig. 2, 
Plate 2. The opening in the top is set over a vessel of boiling 
water and the ribs are placed in through the open end. In this 
way one burner on a gas stove may be made to keep the box full 
of steam. After a night's immersion in the hot vapor the ribs 
can be bent without fear of breaking or cracking. When the ribs 



42 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



are well set after being in place two days, remove " X " and " Y." 
Figure 3 is an iron pipe four inches in diameter, with one closed 
end driven into the ground at the angle indicated. It is filled with 
water and a bonfire built under it. Strips may be placed inside 
the pipe, and by maintaining a hot fire you have a fairly satis- 
factory apparatus for steaming the ribs. 



/ 



no.z. 



QaA 



\ 



^ FIC.3. 



FIC. 1 




mm 




PLATE 2 



CANOE PlyAN. 



We now remove the plank and substitute a strip two inches wide 
and one inch thick, and long enough to run along the bottom of the 
canoe, being fastened to the curved stem and stern piece. The 
framework of the canoe being completed, we proceed to cover it 
either with canvas or planking or both. The planking process is 
shown by Fig. i in Plate 2. The material used is cypress, three 
inches wide and one-quarter inch thick. It is shaped like the siding 
or clap boards used on houses and one board overlaps the other. 
Begin at the center and work to the sides. Clout nails are used. 



THE AQUATIC BOY 



43 



They are clinched on the inner side as shown in Fig. 5. The joint 
used in fastening the long bottom piece to the stem and stern is 
shown in Fig. 4. If you wish to use canvas as a covering, observe 
Fig. I on Plate 3. The canvas should be extra heavy and may 
be used without the planking; that is, it may be nailed directly 
on the skeleton, as it appears in Fig. i, Plate 2. Lay your wide 



FIG. 2. 



FIG. 3. 




FIG. 6. 




CANOE PJvAN. 



strip of canvas on the framework and tack the center line to the 
center line of the canoe bottom strip. Use copper or galvanized 
tacks. Stretch it as you go, leaving no wrinkles or fulness. At 
the ends it will have to be cut with a shears and lapped over 
two inches, the surplus being snipped off and thrown away. A 
coating of glue may be put on the canvas to shrink it and fill up 
the meshes, but it is of no use unless it is afterward covered with 



44 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



three good coats of paint, inside and outside. The deck shown by- 
Fig. 3, Plate 3, is now put in and a thin strip of molding nailed 
along the edge of the canvas to the gunwales, also an outer stem 
and stern strip "A." A long two-inch board or keel is nailed to 
the bottom outside the canvas to prevent injury to same when the 
boat scrapes the bottom. Figure 8 shows the floor; Fig. 7 is a 
sectional view of the same. A picture of the seat is marked Fig. 




CANOE PLAN. 



2; "C" is one of the inside strips to supportsame. Figure 6 is 
a brace used in the center of the boat. Notice it under the sail 
in the complete sketch. The boat is now entirely finished. It 
may be varnished on the inside to look like light oak. 

Illustration 26 shows plans for a sail and paddle. The dimen- 
sions of the latter are given. To keep the water from running 
down to the hands a rubber washer or wrapping of cord may be 



THE AQUATIC BOY 45 

used. Figure 4 shows size and shape of leeboards, which extend 
down over the sides of the boat into the water. Figure 5 is a view 
of same. Figure 6 shows how the leeboard device is clamped to 
the boat at the point "X." The whole thing, including sail, may- 
be lifted off or added to any canoe. Figure 2 is the sail plan, 
Fig. 3 a home-made cleat for swinging it. The base of the mast 
rests in the block (Fig. 9) and passes through the strap (Fig. 8), 
which is made from a heavy tub hoop. This about finishes the 
canoe equipment. If you follow instructions you will have a good, 
serviceable boat. An estimate of the cost is less than $10. 

Base (Temporary). — One piece, 14' x 4" x 2" pine. 

Stem Pieces. — Four pieces, 34" x if" x i" oak. 

Gunwales. — Two pieces, 16' x i" x i" oak. 

Side Strips (Temporary) . — Four pieces, 16' x i" x i" oak. 

Ribs. — 190', 2" X f " ash, elm, hickory, or cypress. 

Planking. — 275', 2" x I" x 1^" cypress. 

Keel. — One piece, 14' x 3" x |" oak. 

Seat Raisers. — Two pieces, 14' x i" x i" oak. 

Seats. — Ten feet, i§" x i|" oak. 

Thwart. — One piece, 31" x 3" x |" oak. 

Fenderwale. — Six pieces, 16' x i|" x i|" cypress. 

Deck. — Two pieces, 12" x 6" x |" cypress. 

Canvas. — 28" wide by 18' long. 

Paddle, Sail, and Leeboards. — Dimensions given on cuts. 

Paint. — Two gallons. 



CHAPTER III 
How to Manage a Canoe 




A CANOE, like an unbroken colt, is of little value to its owner until 
it has been mastered. As a preliminary, the young canoeman 
should learn to swim before he attempts to occupy and guide his 
frail and uncertain little craft. Then, when he is thoroughly at 
home in the water, and not before, he may venture forth with 
his canoe. 

Again, like the unbroken colt, the canoe has a deplorable habit 
of ridding itself of its burden. The canoeist must forestall this by 
giving much attention to balance. The load should be evenly 
distributed, so that the canoe will ride the water on an even keel. 
When properly loaded, it is remarkable what a weight such a small 
craft will carry. The heaviest part of the load should be stowed 
in about the middle of the canoe, and a few of the lighter things 
placed halfway between that point and the bow. Then, when the 
paddler is seated in the stern, the canoe should float on a level 
keel. If it lists to either side, go ashore at once and rearrange the 

46 



THE AQUATIC BOY 47 

load. Do this as often as necessary, it will be time well spent and 
may save a disastrous upset before the journey is done. 

The weight to be carried with safety will vary under different 
conditions of wind and water, and will depend, too, on the size and 
style of the individual canoe. Never load so heavy that you have 
not sufficient freeboard to weather a stretch of rough water or a 
sudden blow. An eighteen-foot cruising canoe of about thirty- 
three inches beam will carry from five to seven hundred pounds 
with safety; any addition to the latter weight will, of course, de- 
pend entirely on the skill displayed in loading and the expertness 
of the paddler. Remember that a light canoe is dangerous and an 
overloaded one is fatal. 

There are two general types of canvas canoes. We will elimi- 
nate those "tenderfoot" crafts of highly polished wood which are 
fit only for mill ponds, satin cushions, double-end paddles, and 
"fair-weather" canoemen. The canoe of the real woodsman is 
the canvas-covered craft in general use on wilderness lakes and 
rivers. In the far north they still use a few primitive birch-barks, 
but the white man has found them inferior, for hard usage, to the 
more modern canvas-covered canoes. The two types referred to 
are similar in shape, but of different widths. The narrower one is 
more speedy and a bit more unsteady; while the wider type is 
somewhat slower in its progress, but a safer load carrier and there- 
fore better for cruising. An eighteen-foot canoe of thirty-three 
inches beam is a good model for all-around work. Many ex- 
perienced canoemen prefer a longer and wider canoe, and are willing 
to put up with the disadvantage of added weight on the portages. 
Canoes are measured "over-all," that is, on the side, along the top 
strip, from end to end. 

Once the canoe is in the water, it naturally follows that the first 
thing to do is to enter it. But this, to the novice, is no easy task, 
and, unless he is careful and goes at it in the proper manner, he 
will probably have his first spill right then and there. There are 
many wrong ways and only one right way to enter a canoe. Place 
one foot squarely in the center at whatever place you desire to sit 
or kneel. Then stoop, while the other foot is still on shore, and 
grasp the sides of the canoe firmly. Put your weight equally on 
your arms, so that the canoe is held on an even keel, and carefully 
lift the other foot in. Kneel or sit down. 



48 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

Never try to jump into a canoe from a height. Never step in 
without grasping the sides. Never change position in deep or 
swift water, but if you must, crawl along on your knees and keep 
tight hold of the sides. Expert canoemen stand upright and do all 
sorts of fancy "stunts," but for the novice caution will prove to 
be the better part of valor. 

Having entered it, see that the canoe is properly balanced be- 
fore you start from shore. If the canoeman is the sole occupant, 
he should kneel on a coat or a cushion, with his hips against the 
second brace. Do not sit on these braces. If he has a passenger, 
the paddler should sit in the stern and place his passenger on a 
small canoe chair, halfway between the first brace and the point 
of the bow. Most canoes are provided with a bow seat, which 
should be removed to avoid accident. Have the weight in a 
canoe as low as possible and the latter will ride steadily. A load 
high up above the sides will make the craft top-heavy and easy to 
capsize. 

When the canoe is properly "trimmed," it may be propelled 
on its course. Two paddles should always be carried, a five-foot 
bow paddle, to be used by a second paddler, or in an emergency, 
and a stern paddle seven or eight inches longer. Grasp the paddle 
with the left hand at the top and the right hand within a half 
inch of the blade. Put the paddle into the water with its edge at 
right angles to the paddler. Pull backward with the right hand, 
push forward with the left, and bring the blade from the water 
when the right hand is about on a line with the right shoulder. 
In removing the paddle from the water, twist the right wrist to the 
right and at the same time push outward with the paddle by lower- 
ing the left hand and "rolling" the paddle to the front. This will 
hold the canoe on its course without changing the paddle from side 
to side. It is quite a simple trick and one that may soon be ac- 
quired by practice. 

It is quite another trick to lift and carry a canoe. The average 
canvas canoe weighs from sixty-five to eighty pounds, and unless 
the canoeman learns to handle it properly, he may find it something 
of an effort to swing it to his shoulders and walk away with it. 
A canoe yoke will make the task easier. Such a yoke can be bought 
at any sporting goods store. But most woodsmen do not use a 
yoke; they make use of the paddles for the same purpose. These 



THE AQUATIC BOY 49 

are lashed from brace to brace, lengthwise of the canoe, and far 
enough apart to allow plenty of head room between them. A 
coat or a pad can be used to protect the carrier's shoulders. Hav- 
ing lashed the paddles, lean over and grasp the forward brace 
with the hands, the left one near the far gunwale, the right one close 
to the side nearest the body. Then lift the canoe, on a slant, to 
the height of the waist and raise the left knee to assist in swinging 
it above the head, where it should be turned bottom up. Next 
get beneath the paddles so that one rests on each shoulder, and, 
when the burden is nicely balanced, proceed to carry it over the 
portage. 

Two boys can easily lift and carry a canoe in the following 
manner: One at each end, they should stoop over and grasp the 
gunwales, the near one with the right hand, the far one with the 
left hand. Next they should lift the canoe, bottom up, over their 
heads. The boy in front should have a yoke, or he can use the 
paddles as already explained; his companion in the rear can brace 
his shoulders against the stern seat. 
4 



CHAPTER IV 

A Small Sailboat 

The most important part of a flat-bottomed boat is the stem. 
This should be of good white oak. You can make it yourself, or 
have it cut out at a saw mill, which is easier. Next, get out the 



A 



Movlds 



.9' 9* » 3' 3")' 

y .S'6' 3 



3 

c m 



')!> 3^6- 



3' 3", 












5ide ^SoarJ ^ 5cafe>4r*/* 




Pec)^TUY\ 



PLAN FOR SMALL SAILBOAT. 



two sideboards. They should be of number one cypress, without 
knots or sap streaks, three-quarter-inch thick. Lay out the di- 
mensions as shown on the plans, then saw and plane to the desired 
shape. 

When these are done, make the molds. As they are not per- 
manent, they can be made of old material. Be sure to leave a 
notch in each lower corner, or else the stringer cannot be fitted. 
Then make the transom, or stern board. This should be of oak. 

50 



\ 



THE AQUATIC BOY 



SI 



When ready to set up, nail each sideboard to the stem with a 
double row of nails. Hold the mold "A" five feet from the end of 
the stem, bend the side boards around it, and fasten securely. 
Then hold mold "B" three feet from mold "A" and fasten as 
before. Be sure to have each mold at right angles to the center 
line of the boat. To fasten the sides to mold "C" and to the 
transom it will be necessary to fasten heavy rope around the 
sides, and twist it with a board in the manner shown in Fig. 
2. This will bring it together, and you can fasten to mold "C" 



k± hodo} pu}]i Tiq 3ide boards 

xgetfjer- 



Trie forWiri 
decK 



»»s Sun 




The 

FiG. 

PLAN FOR SMALL SAILBOAT. 



and the transom. Never drive a nail without first boring a hole 
for it with a bradawl. For all permanent nailing use galvanized 
iron boat nails. These are square cut nails. 

Along the bottom of each side put in a cypress stringer seven- 
eighths inch thick and two inches wide, extending the full length 
of the boat. It will be necessary to make a few saw cuts near the 
stern where it bends sharply up. 

The ribs are oak, |" x |" and should be screwed in eighteen 
inches apart. 

To put on the flooring, turn the boat upside down, and plane 



52 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

off the sideboards and stringer so they will be flat across. Lay 
several strands of cotton wicking along the edge, and nail the 
floor boards to both sideboards and stringers. The floor boards 
should be white pine, as clear from knots and sap streaks as possible. 
Cypress can be used, but it is not so good. Make as tight a joint 
between the boards as possible, as there is to be no caulking. 

Fasten a strip of Georgia pine |" x 6" along the outside bottom 
from stem to stern for a keel shoe. Be sure to get Georgia pine, 
and not North Carolina pine. Nail with long boat nails clinched 
on the inside. 

Turn the boat over, and put in the seats where shown on plans 
one and one-half inches from the top. They should be cypress 
if" X 9". 

Now the molds can be taken out. When this is done, put in a 
I" X I" cypress rib, and just below the seats, extending from stem 
to stern. 

Cut a centerboard slot where shown, two inches wide. Put a 
post at each end extending from the bottom of the slot as shown 
in Fig. 3, and nail firmly to both floor and keel shoe. The sides 
of the centerboard trunk should be in one piece, cypress, seven- 
eighths-inch thick. Before nailing them on lay two or three 
strands of cotton wicking where they will join the floor. Put a 
molding along the corner where the centerboard trunk meets the 
floor. It would be well to put cotton wicking underneath this, too, 
as the centerboard trunk is a fruitful place for leaks. The top 
of the centerboard trunk should be oak one-quarter inch thick. 

Put in deck beams, as shown in Fig. 2, Curve them up about 
two inches in the center. For the side deck, make deck knees 
like those in Fig. 2, and put one at each seat and one between. 
Before putting on the deck lay several strands of cotton wicking 
along the top of the sideboards and nail the deck firmly to the 
sideboards. The deck should be cypress in strips, |" x 3". 

When the deck is laid, smooth the inside of the cockpit ready 
for the combing. The combing should be one-quarter-inch oak. 
Bring it to a point in bow, and finish in the stern as shown on 
drawings. 

Then prepare to lay the canvas deck. Paint the deck with a 
heavy coat of white paint. Paint the underside of canvas the 
same way, and lay while paint is wet. Bring the edges over onto 



THE AQUATIC BOY 



53 



the sides, and nail to side boards with galvanized or copper tacks, 
placed close together. Nail inside edge to combing. Where 
edges of cloth meet on the deck, overlap, and paint thickly un- 
derneath. Do not tack to deck. Screw a two-inch half-round 
fender rail over joint between deck and side boards. Nail a 
half-inch quarter-round molding in corner between deck and 
combing, as shown in Fig. 3. Screw to combing four oarlock 



eqterboard 

CorT/?;ete'; 




PLAN FOR SAILBOAT. 



blocks, as shown in Fig. 3. They should be strengthened with brass 
angle irons. 

For a rudder pipe use a one-inch inside diameter brass pipe. 
Thread each end, and screw a nut on. Before putting in, line the 
holes with white lead. 

Make the rudder of seven-eighth-inch Georgia pine. For a 
rudder post use a one-inch diameter brass rod. Square upper 
end to fit tiller socket. Split the other end and straddle it over 
rudder. Rivet it with copper rivets. Bore two holes near the 
top and get a brass pin to fit the holes. This is to hold the rudder 
in. Make the tiller out of oak. A brass tiller socket such as 
shown in Fig. 3 can be bought for it. The centerboard should be 
Georgia pine one inch thick. Make it out of two pieces dowelled 



54 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

together, as shown in Fig. 3. Use brass rods for dowels, and be sure 
to bore the holes for them straight and of the same diameter as 
the rods. Make a five-inch slot in one corner to permit the center- 
board being dropped as low as possible. Fasten centerboard in 
with an oak pin. Fasten a brass rod to top to raise and 
lower it. 

Make a mast hole in foremost thwart, or in forward deck. Line 
it with leather. Place an oak mast step on the floor directly be- 
neath it. Make a locker at each end of boat, using beaded cypress. 

Paint the whole boat with three coats of good paint. Paint the 
centerboard and centerboard trunk before putting them together. 
Use deck paint for the deck. All varnished work should be var- 
nished with good spar varnish. Do not try to economize by using 
cheap varnish. It won't pay. 

Obtain a mast. For the boom and sprite, get 2" x 2" spruce. 
It will be easier to round it if you get the corners cut off at the saw- 
mill. 

The easiest way to get a sail is to have it made at the sailmaker's. 
When giving him the dimensions, if you are having the spritsail 
made, be sure to give him the corner-to-corner dimension. If you 
are making it yourself, overlap each piece of cloth about an inch and 
sew with a double row of stitches. Sew a light rope around the 
edge, leaving a loop at the outside corner, as in drawing. 

To fasten on the leg-of-mutton sail, lash it firmly to the mast 
hoops. Run the billiard from the top of the sail, through a pulley 
at the top of the mast, and belay — that is, fasten — on a cleat near 
the bottom of the mast. To set the sail, insert small end of the 
boom into loop on corner of sail, and stretch sail as flat as possible. 
Fasten a rope, having a loop in one end, to the mast with a double 
half-hitch. Run free end of rope through slot in end of boom, 
through loop in other end, and fasten to boom with double half- 
hitch, as shown in Fig. 4. 

If using the spritsail rig, lash the sail permanently to the mast. 
Set the same way as leg-of-mutton sail. The sprite is the spar 
that holds up the upper corner of the sail. This is put on the same 
way as the boom. The main sheet — as the rope that hauls in and 
lets out the mainsail is called — should be belayed or fastened on a 
cleat on one side, rove — that is, passed — through a pulley on the 
boom and belayed on the other side. 



THE AQUATIC BOY 



55 



Fasten the jib to eye-bolts in stem and masthead with snap hooks. 
There should be two jib sheets, one on each side, led through eye- 
bolts, and belayed near mainsheet. 

Bolt a large cleat through forward deck, and put a chock on 
each side of bow. Put four oarlocks on the sides, and one in the 
stern. Put a cleat in the stern. 

A twenty-pound anchor will be about the right size. 

The spritsail rig is the best for rough water and high winds, and 
is easy to handle, but the boat is very much undercanvased rigged 




on Spr/l5d 
"5 



FlC 4: 

PI<AN FOR RIGGING A SMAI«Iv SAILBOAT. 



this way. If you want more sail, use the leg-of-mutton sail. 
The mast for spritsail should be nine feet six inches high. For 
leg-of-mutton, it should be twice that height, but should taper 
very much toward the top. 

The cost will, of course, vary with the locality and the fittings. 
The lumber, with the exception of the centerboard, rudder, and 
spars, will cost about eight or ten dollars. You can have the 
spritsail made for about five. The whole boat complete would 
cost eighty dollars at a shipbuilders, and you can build it for less 
than half that sum. 



56 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

CYPRESS 

Two pieces f in. x i8 in. x 14 ft. 
Two pieces | in. x 2 in. x 14 ft. 
Two pieces | in. x | in. x 14 ft. 
One piece i| in. x 9 in, x 12 ft. 
One piece | in. x i ft. 3 in. x 8 ft. 
One piece | in x 3 in. x 12 ft. 
One piece | in. x 2 in. x i ft. 9 in. 
Four pieces | in. x 3 in. x 18 ft. 

OAK 

One piece 6 in. x 5 in. x 12 in. 
Two pieces | in. x | in. x 14 ft. 
One piece | in. x 13 in. x 2 ft. 7 in. 
Two pieces | in. x 6 in. x 1 1 ft. 
One piece | in. x 3^ in. x 3 ft. 9 in. 
One piece i in. x 4 in. x 4 ft. 

GEORGIA PINS 

One piece | in. x 6 in. x 14 ft. 
One piece i in. x 7 in. x 7 ft. 
One piece | in. x 6 in. x 3 ft. 

WHITE PINE 
Five pieces | in. x 6 in. x 16 ft. 



CHAPTER V 
How To Sail a Boat 

Now you know how to build a boat, but it is no good to you 
until you learn how to handle it. A careful study of this chapter 
will give you the general principles of the art. You will find it not 
difficult. 

The wind has four different effects on a sailboat, which must be 
understood by the amateur sailor before he can begin to see why 
his boat performs differently under different conditions of wind and 
sailing course. 

The wind drives the boat ahead — most important of all; it also 
drives it laterally or, to speak in a nautical term, causes it to 
"make leeway" ; it heels the boat over, and, lastly, turns it around, 
according to the balance of her sails, distribution of weight, and 
what is known as the "center of lateral resistance." The proper 
handling of sails and rudder is what enables the sailor to so utilize 
these effects of the wind that he may sail his boat in any direction. 

The propelling effect is the one most utilized, and it is for this 
reason that every boat is constructed to offer the least resistance 
to its forward movement with as little friction as possible. 

Leeway is one effect to be avoided, and for this purpose boats 
are given either deep, stationary keels or centerboards, or some 
other device for providing an extensive lateral surface below the 
water. 

Heeling and the stability of a boat go hand in hand. The boat 
must be prevented from capsizing, and this is done either by putting 
lead or iron on the keel, or carrying ballast in the hull in order to 
lower the center of gravity, or by building a broad and shallow 
boat such as the cat boat, which is very stiff in a breeze and does 
not heel readily, but when a certain point has been reached, is apt 
to capsize quickly in the hands of an unskilful sailor. 

The fourth effect is that of turning the boat around. This is 
done when the center of effort on the sails does not come on a line 

57 



58 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

with the center of lateral resistance. This is always the case in a 
poorly balanced boat. A well-balanced boat requires very little 
movement of the rudder to hold to a course. 

Any novice can understand how a sailing boat can travel with 
the wind, but why it should go forward when the sails are close 
hauled is a question of dynamics which we will not try to explain 
in this short article. An easily understood explanation of why 
boats go ahead instead of sideways can be made by taking a V- 
shaped block of wood and pressing it between the thumb and 
forefinger. If sufficient force is used it shoots forward quickly. 
The thumb may be likened to the wind and the forefinger to the 
water on the opposite side of the boat. The pressure caused by 
the wind pushing the boat against the water on the opposite side 
causes the boat to go forward. 

The center of effort and center of lateral resistance must be 
understood in the handling of a sailboat. The center of effort is 
the center of the total sail area. If, for example, this comes for- 
ward of the center of lateral resistance when the boat is sailing 
with the wind abeam, then the side pressure on the sails will turn 
the boat's bow in the direction toward which the wind is blowing, 
or away from the wind, and a boat doing this is said to carry a 
"lee helm." 

On the other hand, if the center of lateral resistance is farther 
forward than the center of effort, the wind will swing the boat in 
the direction in which it is blowing, thus throwing the bow up 
into the wind. A boat doing this is said to carry a weather helm. 
Every sailing boat should be so rigged as to carry a little weather 
helm, as, if struck by a squall under those conditions, it will luff 
quickly up into the wind and so be in safety, while if the lee helm 
is carried, the boat will fall off before the wind, presenting a broad- 
side to wind and wave which is very apt to cause it to capsize. 

Too much weather helm is also to be avoided, as it makes it 
necessary to keep the rudder over at a sharp angle and retards the 
progress of the boat. 

To reduce weather helm, move the ballast aft or shorten the 
after canvas, or increase the forward canvas by setting a larger 
jib. If a boat carries a lee helm, shift the ballast forward or re- 
duce the area of the head canvas. 

In considering the action of the rudder, the amateur sailor should 



THE AQUATIC BOY 



59 



bear in mind that as the boat is turned by the rudder, it swings 
as on a pivot. The water, pressing against one side of the rudder, 
pushes the stern of the boat away from that side. 

The pivot or turning point is always well forward of the center. 
This is a fact that should be remembered when steering close to 
a boat or other object. Don't delay turning out of the way too 
long, or the very act of turning your boat will throw the stern over 
sufficiently to cause the collision you are trying to avoid. 



WiNO OE«t> 




W)NO ON ThC 






WiNO ABCAM 



(/VIND FORWARD 

OF tmc ecAm 



SAILING. 




WINO AHCAO 
CLOU tiAUliO- 



Running before the wind may look like the ideal course to the 
amateur sailor, but a little experience cures him of that belief. 
Figure i shows the location of the sail when on this course. Steer- 
ing is difficult when running with the wind aft, especially in rough 
water, and there is danger of the sail gybing over when least ex- 
pected. Except on smooth water it is better to haul the boat up 
so as to have the wind on one quarter, and after following that 
course for some distance, to "take the other tack," gybe over so as 
to bring the wind on the other quarter. Figure 2 represents the 
wind on the quarter. Figure 3 shows the wind abaft the beam. 



6o THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

Figure 4 shows the wind abeam, or directly at right angles with 
the boat. Figure 5 shows the wind forward of the beam. Each 
figure shows the proper location or direction of the boom, or, in a 
nautical term, how the sail should be trimmed. All of these are 
what are known as favorable winds, the sheet being hauled in 
such proportion as to give the best results. The positions in all of 
these figures show a boat when it is what is termed "sailing free." 

To sail "close hauled" means to bring the boat up as close into 
the wind as possible and still keep it on its course, with the wind 
filling the sail so as to drive it forward. A properly built boat 
will lie within four or four and a half points of the wind, while 
some, especially those built on racing models, will do even better 
than this. Figure 6 shows about the proper location of the boom 
when sailing close hauled. The wind striking the sail at this angle 
will drive the boat forward and maintain a reasonable degree of 
speed, while to haul it closer would increase the leeway until, 
if the sail were hauled parallel with the keel, the only progress 
made would be to leeward. Most boats will sail closer to the wind 
in smooth water than in a rough sea. 

When sailing close hauled, it is necessary to hold the boat on a 
course that will just nicely keep the sail filled with wind. This 
point can be ascertained by putting the helm slowly to the leeward. 
As soon as the sail begins to shake near the head, you have reached 
a point where it is not drawing as much as it should, and, if the 
helm is kept down, the sail will begin to flap in the wind and the 
boat will lose headway. A little practice will enable an amateur 
skipper to see the beginning of this "tremble" in the sail, and at 
the first symptoms he must reverse the helm until the wind fills 
the sails fairly. 



CHAPTER VI 



Rat 







^=^J^ 



ficZ 



A Punt 

The boat shown in the accompanjdng sketch is intended for 
use in a shallow pond or marsh. The craft is a flat-bottomed, 
one-passenger affair, and 
is poled along. 

A complete \-iew from 
the top and side is 
presented by the cut 
marked Fig. 2. Our 
first work will be to saw 
out the two eight-foot 
side boards, which we 
might dignif}- by the 
name of gunwales. For 
those is recommended 
C}'press, one inch or 
more in thickness. 
Next, put in the center 
floor timbers, which are 
two inches square and 
twent3" inches long. Put 
in the one in the exact 
center, keeping its lower 
edge a half -inch up from 
the lower edge of the 
side board. Next put 
in the stem and stem 
pieces, which form the a puxt. 

ends of the boat. These 

are only ten inches long, so the sides wUl be bent. You may now 
put in all the other floor timbers, eighteen pieces, to conform to 
the shape and dimensions of the diagram in Fig. 2. The short 
side braces, or ribs, are now attached as shown in detail by Fig. 4. 

61 




62 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



In Fig. 5 you get a good view of the pair of braces put on the 
top edges of the gunwales, in X shape. These will add strength 
and rigidity to the ends and should be securely fastened with long, 
slender screws. 

The best material to use for the bottom boards is half-inch 
matched flooring. Clear pine will do as good as any, but the 
tongues and grooves must be coated with a thick mixture of white 
lead and oil before being put together. The edge pieces, which are 
curved, will tax your patience. The crack should be puttied and 
battened with a long strip. Before the boat gets any wetting 
at all it must receive three thorough coats of paint inside and out- 
side. 

The pole used may be a bamboo fishing rod or a sapling of suffi- 
cient lightness. Figure 6 is a diagram of how to start and end the 

stroke. Racing in punts 
of this type is fine exer- 
cise, and for frog and 
turtle hunts they can't 
be improved upon. 

A LOG CRUISER 

The boy and the pond 
have ever been close com- 
panions. Surely you can 
find four good stout logs 
and cleat them with 
pieces of scantling firmly 
spiked on. It is best to 
have the fore end of the 
raft pointed as shown, 
for it will break the 
waves and cut through 
the water more easily. 
Between the second and 
third log is a center- 
board just like Fig. 3. It hangs down into the water and can be 
raised and lowered at will. The rudder plan is made clear by Fig. 
5. The sail is the most difficult part to make. Use a sapling for 




A LOG CRUISER. 



THE AQUATIC BOY 



63 



a mast and brace it with two wires stretched from its highest point 
to the front cleat. Figure 4 shows the size and rigging of the sail. 
If you cannot afiford a sail you can paddle the raft. 

SWIMMING SAIL RAFT 

The clever and unique device pictured herewith may be made 
by any boy who cares to possess one. Study the pictures, for they 
will teach you more about the construction than a whole page of 
text. The making of the body part is shown in Fig. 2. It is 
like a shallow boat and must be covered with watertight canvas. 



riG.5, 

\\\\\\\\\v \\\\\\\\4 




A SWIMMING RAIfT. 

A soap box, torn apart, will provide material for the rudder, as 
illustrated by Fig. 4. The sail is three feet wide and five feet long. 
Tack a stick along the top and bottom edges, and by means of these 
cross-arms lash it to the mast. The mast fits into a square hole 
and does not turn. The sail turns around it and is operated by the 
handlebar h. A keel added to the bottom will give greater 
buoyancy and at the same time add steadiness to the craft. 



64 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



A SAILING CATAMARAN 



The cataiiiaraii is the original and oldest type of boat. It was 
the first cnide attempt of primitive man to eontrol the direetion of 
the log upon which he desired to tloat. Later, perhaps lumdreds 
of years, the one log alTair developed into a craft that consisted of 
three logs lashed together and pointed at the fore end, jnst like a 
gigantic toy boat that a ten-year-old boy wonld whittle ont of a 

shingle as big as the side 
of a woodshed. 

The plan shown here is 
copied after the ancient 
idea and is intended for 
nse at a snmmer camp or 
swimming hole. The main 
part of the craft is tw'o 
logs ten feet long and four- 
teen inches or more in 
diameter. If you camp 
near a lake or river it is 
probable that you can find 
fallen trees conveniently 
located for the purpose. 
Taper them down with an 
ax and lay them on a low 
bank two feet apart. The 
maimer of placing tlie 
A SAILING CATAMARAN. CTOss-braccs is sliowu by 

"F," Fig. 2. Spike them 
well and then drill holes with a long bit one inch in diameter. 
Into the holes drive tight-fitting wooden pegs. You can make 
it very strong and rigid this way, for all the old-time houses 
in this country were built with wocxien nails. In Fig. 3, B 
represents a lee board nailed to the end of the fore brace 
or thwart. The boards, there is one on the other end of the 
same log. dip down into the water and serve the same purpose as 
the centerboard of a sailboat, that is. to keep it from drifting side- 
ways or capsizing. An oarlock on the rear cross-piece serves as a 




THE AQUATIC BOY 



65 



seat for the rudder oar. This oar may also be used for sculling. 
iM^ire 6 shows the detail. 

h'igure 4 shows the sail plan and dimensions clearly. Figure 5 
shows the cleat by means of which the boom of the sail swings on 
the mast. A heavy wire ring directly above this cleat is marked 
X. The mast is a hickory pole eight feet long and four inches 
in (iinmcter. The lower end of it is squared and sunk into a square 
hole, a few long nails being toed in to steady it. The mast is 
then braced with wires leading from the top to the log platform. 

There is a world of fun in this homely craft, but, it is needless 
to say, you nmst be a good swimmer if you want to go into deep 
water with it. 

A CANOE vSTUNT 

A few years ago two friends took a trip up a river in a canoe. 
The stream is nearly a mile wide and quite shallow, so it goes with- 
out saying that if there 
was any breeze blowing 
they were sure of getting 
their share of it. After 
ten hours' paddling rapids 
were encountered, and 
they had to make a port- 
age to a parallel canal 
nearby. The first night 
they slept in the woods 
with the canoe for a bed 
and a large canvas cover- 
all for a shelter. They 
simply hung it from a line 
that ran the length of 
* the boat, dog-tent fashion. 
Imagine a carpet doubled 
over a clothesline, with 
each edge resting on the 
ground and held three feet apart by means of small stakes. The 
next day they went five miles on the canal and made a portage 
back to the river. Then a thunder-storm accompanied by a 
deluge of nice wet summer rain dampened their plans and tliem- 
5 




A CANOE .STUNT. 



66 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

selves. This time they took refuge under an old bridge and used 
their canvas to curtain off the angry weather. After the rain they 
cast away all excess baggage, such as bait and spoiled lunch, and 
started for home. Although it was summer the river was choppy, 
and a strong gusty wind lashed them from behind. Again they 
requisitioned the canvas. This time they made it into a square 
sail as shown in the picture. For a mast or upright stick they used 
a fish pole, simply holding it as firm as possible, as in Fig. 3. 
Branches cut from a tree served as the cross-arms at top and bot- 
tom. One of the friends sitting at the stern used the paddle as a 
rudder. The trip home was made in just one-half the time it took 
to paddle up. When they arrived at the park from which they 
had started not one boat was to be seen braving the elements, and 
much was the surprise of hundreds of owners of small craft to 
think that they had nerve enough to venture out in a canoe. With 
no effort at all they made from seven to nine miles an hour. Don't 
neglect to take along a big canvas. As the old sailor says: "It's 
useful for anything from swaddling clothes to winding sheet." 

BOAT SHADE 

Here is an easily made article that adds to the comfort of your 
rowboat trip. It need hardly be said that it may also l^e made and 
attached to a canoe or any type of small boat. The first and hard- 
est part to make is the base block shown in Fig. 3. It is fashioned 
out. of two pieces of hard wood. If you have no small saw, you can 
cut it to shape with a common hand saw by exercising your stock 
of patience. Finish by sandpapering and giving two or three 
coats of oil and one of good varnish. The lower ends of the up- 
right sticks are inserted as in Fig. 4. One of them is in the center 
slot and one on each side of it. A short bolt passes through the 
three. The joint used for fastening the upright sticks to the cross 
sticks on top is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. The sticks should be of 
seasoned ash about one-inch square. You can get them at a 
carriage shop or repair place, or lumber yard. The putting on of 
the canvas is too simple to require explanation. Simply stretch 
it over the top, draw it down the side a few inches, and tack it in 
place. The shade may be tilted in any direction or laid flat. 
It may also be taken off the boat quickly by unscrewing the four 



THE AQUATIC BOY 



67 



nuts that hold it. If you do not intend to remove it when not in 
use, have the nut under the seat and the head of the bolt on top 



Flgl 




BOAT SHADE. 



instead of the opposite way, as it would be easy for some one to 
appropriate your shade for their own use. 



BOAT LIFT 

It is quite a little task to get a boat out of the water; in fact, it is 
seldom effected without a scraping off of the paint or a straining 



68 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



of the back of the lifter, which is a catastrophe not to be laughed 
at. Here is an easily made, permanent device, which will remove 
the difficulty. It is a permanent fixture, and will be equally useful 
for launching purposes in the spring. First set up two 4x4 inch 
posts on the dock, making them firm by bracing. Saw a block 
out of the top of each and in the spaces set pulleys, as in Fig. 5. 
We now make two frames out of 4 x 4 inch stuff, using three 
pieces for each and bracing each as indicated by Fig. 3. Those 




A BOAT UPT. 



frames are then hinged with large, strong strap hinges to the flat 
pieces, which have been spiked to the dock and which extend about 
a foot over the edge of same. It is used by simply gliding the 
boat along into the pocket formed by the two frames, then attach- 
ing the ropes and pulling up slowly. The surfaces that the boat 
must come in contact with should be padded with large rubber hose. 
There is no danger of the boat falling out, because the ropes bind 
on the top. 



CHAPTER VII 
The Boy Swimmer— Devices That Will Aid Him 

A SWIMMING TEACHER 

Here is a swimming teacher, designed somewhat along the lines 
of the old-fashioned ducking stool. You know, in the early New 
England days, one of the modes of punishment was to fasten the 
offender on the end of a plank that reached out into the water, and 



-'^* \<5^ 








A SWIMMING TEACHER. 



was pivoted in the center like a see-saw, and duck him down under 
the water. It'was not verv^ pleasant in the chilly winter days, but 
in the summer time probably the wicked lads did not object very 
much to the forced bath. 



69 



70 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



Our device will really be useful in learning how to swim. Sink 
a sound post two and a half feet in the ground and bore a one-inch 
hole in the center. Then bore your plank and fit in the bolt. A 
little lard or wagon grease rubbed on occasionally will make it 
turn more freely. The box on the end is intended to balance the 
swimmer. It is made so that it can be filled with stones or sand, 
and also to permit of being slipped off. If there is some one near 
who will hold the end down you can dispense with the box. An- 
other way to use it is to fasten the weight end to the ground with 
ropes or wire and dive off the other end, spring-board fashion. It 
also serves as a whirligig. 

SWIMMING HELP 

To say that every boy should learn to swim is simply to repeat 
an old truism of self-evident worth. The question is how can one 
learn to swim without risk? Our little plan is one answer to the 



HG.l. 




SWIMMING HELP. 



query. It is a home-made life preserver, and here is how to make 
it. Get a square yard of canvas and tack it down on the barn 
floor. Find the center and stick a nail in it, then with a string 



THE AQUATIC BOY 71 

seventeen inches long draw a circle, as indicated in Fig. 3. The 
inside radius is ten inches, leaving a ring between the concentric 
circles seven inches in width. This is cut out with a scissors, and 
two of them like Fig. 4 are sewed together on the edges of the 
inside ring and on the outer edges, with the exception of an open- 
ing of seven inches. The sewing can be easily done on a machine. 
Two or three rows of stitches should be taken. 

The hollow ring is now filled with ground cork. Common corks 
may be chopped as fine as coarse smoking tobacco by putting them 
through a food chopper twice. 

Ram the cork in good and tight and then sew up the opening. 
This float will be buoyant enough to keep you afloat and you can 
propel yourself by only a slight motion of the arms and legs. 
After you get used to it you can gradually let it come higher and 
higher on the body, until finally you will not need it at all. It is a 
good emergency life preserver, and many a lad could have been 
saved if something like it was near to give him a little confidence 
and support. 

It is a known fact that the human body cannot sink in deep 
water until it fills with water. Just lie back on the surface and 
let yourself sink gradually; you will go under water a few inches 
and will bob up again, then down a little less than the first time 
and up again, finally coming to a rest with just about half of your 
face above water. This is ample for breathing purposes, and you 
could rest for an hour if you could keep quiet that long. The 
trouble is, a swimmer wants his head and shoulders above the 
water and it takes a good deal of continuous effort to keep them 
there. Have just as little of your body above water as possible. 

A SWIMMING FLOAT 

If there is anything on earth that will provide more fun for a 
typical bunch of live American boys than this float, it is hard to 
imagine what it could be. You can dive off it, you can fish off it, 
you can haul it in close to shore and spend your camping nights 
on it, you can paddle the whole business like a raft, you can float 
down stream in houseboat fashion, but what's the use of going 
further. What you do need mostly is a clear creek, not too wide 
and not too narrow, shallow at the shores and deep enough in the 



72 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



middle to allow straight-down diving. Next a half-dozen or more 
companions and the fun is on. 

The making of the float is simple enough for the average boy to 
attempt. With three or four to help you the work should be com- 




nof 



20 



av^" 




r/G.5 



F/o4. 



A SWIMMING FLOAT. 



pleted in about two days. The first thing you need is six water- 
tight barrels. You might paint them with tar or pitch as an extra 



THE AQUATIC BOY 73 

precaution against leaks. Now stand three in a row on end with a 
distance of twenty feet between the first and last and the odd barrel 
midway between them. You now place a 2 x 8 inch timber on 
top of the three barrels and spike it so that the edge extends an 
inch over the edge of the barrel top. Now turn the whole thing 
over and spike another twenty foot timber on the other side. 
Three more barrels are treated in the same way, and then you con- 
nect them with cross-timbers ten feet long. This completes the 
foundation of the float and should look like Fig. i. If you study 
this drawing for a few minutes all the details of construction will 
become very plain. You will observe that it is quite a heavy affair 
and for that reason your building operations should be carried on 
close to the water's edge. 

The next step is to nail on the cross-pieces, which form the floor. 
It would be best to have large heavy planks that run all the way 
across, but if they are too expensive for you, use all the scrap pieces 
of lumber you can get hold of. Drive all the nails in below the sur- 
face and cover with old carpet or canvas. The spring board is an 
essential part and must be well made. Figure 2 is an enlarged sec- 
tion which shows how the end is held down. By this simple 
arrangement any desired tilt or angle may be secured by shoving 
the board further in on the raft or pulling it out more to the 
water. Side rails may be fastened to the raft to enable you 
to climb back out of the water. Figure 5 shows how the rail 
is secured. "A" is one of the blocks to which the pole is 
fastened, "B" is the pole itself. The canvas shelter is a sim- 
ple affair, but it will be found very useful. It will save you 
from the scorching sun while you are resting and permit you to 
enjoy a swim when it is raining, a sport that boys are fond of. 
Four poles about five feet high are erected, being secured at the 
base in the manner shown by Fig. 3. The exact shape and size 
of the canvas used is shown by Fig. 4. 

That about finishes the float. Large logs may be used as a sub- 
stitute for the barrels if they are easier to obtain in your locality. 
Now, then, boys, get your crowd together and make one of those 
fun devices. It will last for years and furnish you plenty of good, 
wholesome amusement. 



74 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



SHOOT THE CHUTE 

A sudden dash, a lift into the air, and a plunge into the cool 
water, — that has spelled amusement for centuries. In a hundred 



n&i 




'"v^'1i?^,■■,,^^«'V•^ll^^''^^T^,-■--i•^,., ^ ■■ I 




A SHOOT THE CHUTE. 



forms the idea has been worked out, in cold countries and warm 
countries, among savages arid in the joy farms of our big cities. 
In the accompanying drawing we show how a toboggan may be set 
up at the waterside. The drop should be into the water at least 



THE AQUATIC BOY 75 

five or six feet deep, so in most cases a considerable part of the slide 
will be over water. 

The first thing to do is to sink heavy posts in the shallow water. 
Use oak or cedar posts in preference to those of any other wood. 
The ends should be pointed, and the top of the one being driven 
should have an iron ring or ferrule so that the blows of the sledge 
hammer will not split it. When it is deep enough, you may take 
the ring off and use it for the next post, and so on. Drive a post 
every two feet lengthwise, and keep the two rows fifteen inches 
apart. In this plan the car is pulled to the edge with boy power, so 
there need be only a slight slope from the starting point to the end 
of the run. Use 4x4 stuff or round stock four inches in diameter 
for the supports. Drive them straight and brace each pair together 
with 2x4 scantling nailed in "x" shape. Similarly brace each 
pair to the next adjoining pair. 

In Fig. 3 you may see the elevation at the end and how the final 
rise is effected. The track consists of one-inch boards nailed to 
the posts. The boards should be submerged in water a week or 
two before being used, as they must bend readily. On the top 
surface, near the outer edge of each board, nail a strip, which will 
keep the car from running off. The wheels of the car fit between 
those strips, as in Fig. 4. 

Figure 2 is a flat view of the car and shows all dimensions. The 
wheels of the car are roller skate rollers. Study Fig. 5 for a few 
minutes. There is a piece which projects back from the under 
side of the rear of the car marked "A." "B" is a bent piece of 
strap metal which fits over this, and to it is fastened the rope. 
Under the highest end crosspiece is a pulley through which the rope 
is threaded and then passed downward and back to the starting 
point. 

Figure 6 shows the car and rope arrangement beyond my power 
to improve with mere words. After the passenger is seated the 
line is pulled in the direction indicated by the arrows, and away 
somebody goes at a mile a minute speed, then when you hit the 
sudden rise, the block "x" stops the hook and the car is projected 
into the air five or six feet. That is why you must have deep 
water to land in. If loud laughter and fresh air are good, certainly 
this plan has much to commend it. 



PART III 
THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



CHAPTER I 
Easily Built Means of Locomotion 

A SAIL CART 

Here is an amusement device that will appeal to boys who live 
in regions where large flat spaces are available. 

The first part of our work is to construct a suitable frame. This 
is pretty clearly shown in Fig. 2. Its extreme length is fourteen 
feet, width four feet. At the rear end we erect a truss for the 
single wheel. This truss or raised part is necessary because we 
use a bicycle fork for the single or steering wheel and must have 
something high enough for the entire wheel to fit under. Bicycle 
wheels are used because they are hung so accurately and have ball 
bearings which make the smoothest and easiest running possible. 
You can get wheels at the junk dealers or second-hand store for a 
trifling sum. It is not necessary that good tires be fitted to the 
wheels, but of course it would be a good thing if you can aJBFord 
them. Notice on your bicycle wheel that the part which is called 
the cone does not turn; the wheel itself turns, but the axle does not 
turn with it. Inside the hub of the wheel are small steel balls, and 
fitting close to those is the cone, the balls being between the two. 
If the wheel you are going to use is very old, take out the cone, 
clean the groove in which the bearings turn, and when you replace 
them plaster them with vaseline. This will make oiling unneces- 
sary for a long time. 

Between the two strips, "A" in Fig. 2, is where we hang the fore 
wheel for the left side. In a similar space on the other side we hang 

77 



78 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



the other fore wheel. Over the holes which have been bored in the 
wood we fit metal plates, suitably bored to accommodate the cone 
you are using. This is clearly shown in Fig. 3. In the one and 
one-half inch hole to which the arrow points the nut that tightens 
the cone in place is imbedded. The hole is large enough to admit 
the nose of a pair of pliers any time you wish to tighten it up. 
The attaching of the fore wheels is simple enough, but it must be 
carefully done if you wish the best results. 




" /y<r<3 




A SAIL CART. 



The rear single wheel is the one we steer with. It consists of an 
entire half of a bicycle, fork and all. It is simply placed under the 
truss and up through the hole that has been bored in the center. 
A handle or tiller for steering it may be attached to the cones as 
shown in Fig. 4. This does not permit the wheel to be turned all 
the way around, but you very seldom would want to do that, and a 
pretty sharp turn can be taken. If the wheel would turn clear 
around there would be danger of an accident. The steering handle 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 79 

is attached to the wheel by means of small metal plates as shown 
in detail in the sectional sketch of Fig. 4. 

When the wheels are in place and working nicely we take up the 
sail part of the cart. Look at the central part of " B " in Fig. 2 and 
you will note a hole is bored through the top crosspiece. Into this 
a mast thirteen feet long is placed, so that it will rest on the under 
crossriece. Complete dimensions of the sail are shown in Fig. 7. 
If ■'ou know anything about rigging a boat you can utilize it here, 
fqr the same ideas are used. The mast is held upright and braced 
by three wire stays leading from it to the top of the framework. 
The fork which permits the sail to be swung to the right or left is 
shown in Fig. 6. 

If you refer constantly to the drawings you will be greatly aided 
in the construction of the sailer. In operating it you might wish to 
know beforehand some of its uses and possibilities. It cannot be 
run directly against the wind any more than a sailboat can, and 
yet, as sailboats can reach a point in any direction if there is wind, 
so can this cart. If the road is wide or if you have access to the 
wide stretches of hard sandy beach that abound in the South you 
can get along nicely with it. A country road in good condition 
makes a suitable field of navigation if the wind is right. It is a 
very useful and easy running cart even if you wish to dispense 
with the sail part altogether. It is a good coaster or may be fitted 
with levers to run by pushing back and forth. 

A SINGLE COASTER 

Here is a handy little single coaster that younger lads will like. 
You can make it yourself, at very little expense. A piece of plank 
thirty-six inches long and twelve or fourteen "inches wide is 
needed for the top. Another piece of forty-eight inches length will, 
when cut up, furnish the runners and blocks needed. Saw off a 
triangular piece at each side, leaving the small end seven inches in 
width. Then cut out two blocks like the one marked "a" in Fig. i. 
Those must be fastened very firmly to the plank. Use long screws 
and bore a hole for each screw to avoid splitting the blocks. The 
fore block "b" is screwed flat to the plank. From the under side 
bore an inch hole through both. Figure 2 shows how the rear run- 
ners are made. The cross braces are sunk into the runners as shown 



8o 



THE BOYS* WORKSHOP 



by "c." To attach the rear runners put a long bolt through the 
holes in "a" and the central raised part of the double runner. This 
method gives the sled a springy, elastic motion that is very ex- 
hilarating. The single runner in front is used to steer. Figure 3 
shows the construction more clearly than a whole page of text 
could. The lower end of the stem "d" should be squared and 
should fit into a square hole. If you can, it is well to reinforce 
the runners with metal strips, but it is not necessary if you use hard 
wood. The coaster has a variety of uses. It is good on the ice or 
on a hill. Along the road it is as spry as a rabbit. Run along and, 




A SINGLE COASTER. 



when you have a good start, hop on. You can easily keep it going 

by kicking back, and can even go up grade. If there is any snow 
or ice within reach and you have one of these coasters it is certain 
that you will not lack good, wholesome, outdoor exercise. 



SCOOTER 

Here is a speedy runabout for the young lad who has oceans of 
energy that he must rid himself of. One glance at the picture will 
give you about all the information you need. 

For the platform select a sound one-inch board six inches wide 
and thirty-six inches long. At the fore end a notch is sawed for the 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



8i 



upright stick. This latter is thirty-six inches long and two and 
one-half inches wide. It must be fastened securely so that it will 
not wiggle or bend. At its top end is a hand piece used in holding 
on and steering. The wheels are small, of solid metal, or rollers 
taken from roller skates. The manner of putting them on is well 
shown by Fig. 3. This picture shows one roller in front and one in 



FI6.1 



FIG. 2. 




A SCOOTER. 

the rear, but by using a wider board you can have two rollers in the 
rear if you wish. 

It is used by running along and occasionally kicking behind. 
Good smooth cement is the best runway, and offers a chance to 
attain great speed 



STEERING GEAR 

Here is a plan for adding an automobile steering gear to a little 
wagon. If you are so big that the plan doesn't interest you, rig it 
6 



82 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



up for your younger brother and you will have his everlasting 
gratitude. Here's the way the thing is done. Get a piece of pine 
board one inch thick and cut it to the shape and size shown in 
Fig. 3. Fasten it to the under side of the wagon with five screws. 
To do this properly you must first tack it with nails, and then bore 
a hole for each screw. The holes should be as large in diameter as 
the shank of the screw, only the thread being imbedded in the 
wood. The large hole for the steering post is bored at the angle 
shown in Fig. 2. The piece "b" in Fig. 3 is 8x6" and is fastened 




A STEERING GEAR. 



like the larger one. It extends over the top edge of the wagon toward 
the inside and a block is placed under this projecting part. The 
drawing clearly shows this. The steering wheel is one taken from 
an old wagon, and the post it sets on is a broom handle. In Fig. 
2, "n" indicates where nails are driven to prevent the post from 
working up and down. A piece of rope is tied fast to the lower end 
of the post and each free end is fastened to the axle. A twist of 
the wheel, either way, does the turning. It's a dandy little plan 
and will bring joy to the heart of the small boy. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



83 



HOW TO :make a wheelbarrow 

The wheelbarrow shown in the accompan^-ing drawings and 
described below is not perhaps the easiest design to construct, as 
there is no doubt whatever that this advantage must be given to 
the box barrow, in which the bod}* is made in the same wa}- as a 






3 " 




ELXTATIOKS AND DHTAH-S OF BASSOW. 



box, nailed together at the angles, the boards which form the sides 
being oontiiiaed forward to form bearings for the wheel, and back- 
ward to 9erre as handles to drive the barrow bv. 

This method of construction, however, has so ma n y disadvan- 
tages as to conuOTt in U9e and lasting qualities, that we iiave 
passed it over in favor of the more substantial, and easier to use, 



84 THE BOYS' WORKvSHOP 

framed barrow, the cost of which, as far as material is concerned, 
is very little more than the other, and the lasting qualities will 
probably work out in the proportion of about three to one, in favor 
of our choice. 

The actual design of the framed barrows varies very much, a 
fact which may be seen in any neighborhood where barrows are 
plentiful, and it follows that the barrow which allows of a heavy 
load being carried comparatively easily is the one to choose, and 
this will be the one in which the body is well over the wheel, and 
where the front part is deep and the back part comparatively 
shallow, such as is shown in Fig. i herewith. 

The framing should be of ash throughout, but the boards may be 
of deal, although elm is better, if available. 

In addition to the side elevation in Fig. i, we show elevations 
of the barrow from the front and back respectively in Figs. 2 and 
3, and in Fig. 4 we proceed to the actual work of construction, and 
show the bottom frame complete. This consists of the two sides, A 
(five feet long, three inches wide, by two and one-half inches thick), 
and the three shutters, B (two inches wide by one and one-half 
inches thick). 

The sides are mortised to receive the shutters, the tenons on the 
latter being "barefaced," that is, having shoulders at the under 
side only, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. 

The complete frame is sixteen inches between the sides at the 
front end, and twenty-four inches at the back end, and the fact 
of this tapering as it does requires the shoulders of the tenons and 
the mortises to be cut at an angle to fit properly. To obtain the 
proper angle for these the sides should be laid out on the bench or 
floor, in the exact position they will occupy, the shutters being laid 
on them in their proper place, when it is easy to mark the right 
angles for the shoulders on the one, and the mortises on the other. 

Before finally pinning together the framing, the handle ends of 
the sides should be reduced in thickness from the inside, as at C, 
Fig. 4, also shaped to form the handles as at D, Fig. i, and the 
opposite ends rounded off on the top side, as at E, Fig. 5. 



;CHAPTER II 

How to Build a Model Hydro-aeroplane 

A SUCCESSFUL hydro-aeroplane which will actually rise from the 
surface of the water and sail aloft for a minute or more may be 
readily constructed. The materials required are cheap and easily 
obtained. The prize- winning models which hold the records for 




PLAN FOR FRAME OP A MODEL HYDRO-AEROPLANE. 




high flying and duration have been built by boys fifteen years of 
age or less. Any bright boy with a turn for mechanics and a little 
patience may thus be the owner of one of these fascinating toys. 
The "hydro," as it is called, combines the fascination of model 
aeroplane flying with that of boating. The marvelous little toys 

8.5 



86 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



skim across the surface of the water as fast as one can run. By 
adjusting the planes or wings the models may be made to rise 
quickly from the surface and soar aloft, and on alighting right 
themselves and float like the proverbial duck. 

A great deal depends upon the construction of the planes or 
wings of your aeroplane. Their exact form does not make so much 
difference, since a great variety of wings serve to carry a machine 
aloft. It is very important, however, that the planes be as light 
as possible, and at the same time strong enough to stand more or 
less knocking about without going to pieces. The builders of 
model aeroplanes have made remarkable progress in constructing 

light, durable planes. Prac- 
T 



1 



t- 



-20- 





tically all the model aero- 
planes are alike in having two 
planes, with the larger one 
placed at the rear and the 
smaller one well forward. 

The best material for con- 
structing the frames of the 
wings is bamboo. It is ex- 
tremely light and strong, and 
soft enough to be worked 
easily. The bamboo may be 
bought cheaply and may be 
sent through the mail at 
trifling expense. An old 
bamboo fishing pole or cur- 
tain rod will answer the pur- 
pose. The grain of the wood 
is so straight that it may be split into convenient strips. If you 
cannot find bamboo, a light rattan will answer, while excellent 
wings may be made of strips of any light straight-grained wood. 
In the following directions suggestions are given for several forms 
of planes, so that no boy need fail for lack of proper materials. 

The larger plane of your model should measure about twenty 
inches in length by four inches in depth. The smaller plane should 
be about nine inches long by four inches or a trifle less. Let us 
begin with the larger plane. We will build this plane perfectly 
flat. In the early days of model aeroplane building great atten- 




TYPES OK PLANES. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 87 

tion was paid to cur\dng the wings slightly upward, on the theory 
that their lifting power was increased in this way. But so many 
models are flown with flat wings that it scarcely seems worth 
taking the additional trouble. 

The simplest plan is to mark out on a sheet of stiff paper a plan 
twenty inches long and four inches wide, round the ends in a short 
oval, and build a frame or rim to fit. A long strip of bamboo about 
one-quarter of an inch square or a similar piece of reed or rattan is 
cut the proper length and soaked in water until it is soft enough 
to bend to the right shape. The rim may be built up of one or 
more such strips, the ends being glued or tied firmly together. 
Wlien dry the frame will retain its shape. The frame may also be 
made with square comers by merely cutting strips the length of the 
sides and tying and gluing them together. It may be found neces- 
sary, in order to keep the frame rigid, to attach braces or ribs con- 
sisting of thin strips of bamboo. To make the joints secure tie 
them with strong thread and touch the threads with glue. The 
smaller wing is made in the same way, using somewhat lighter 
strips. 

Some model builders prefer to have their main planes curved and 
the ends carried back as indicated in the accompanying drawings. 
To build these frames lay out the design full size on a board and 
construct the frame to fit this model. The pieces may be held in 
position by driving brads on either side of the strips to hold them 
in place. In case the sides must be shaped, soak the strips in water, 
bend them to fit the lines on the board, and tack them down in 
position. WTien dry the frame will be of the desired shape. It is 
best to begin with the simpler forms of planes. Before covering the 
planes, cut away the rough parts and sandpaper until the whole is 
perfectly smooth. 

Great care should be taken to cover the planes smoothly. The 
easiest material to work is probably bamboo paper because of its 
toughness and lightness. Lay the frame of the wing on a sheet of 
paper and cut two pieces, leaving a margin of one-quarter of an 
inch all around. 

Now dampen the paper by placing it between sheets of moistened 
blotting paper or cloth. The sheets are then stretched tightly 
over the frame and glued securely in position. Turn the edges over 
neatly and be sure that there are no wrinkles or creases. Both 



88 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

sides are covered in this way and the frame is set aside to dry. 
The paper will contract slightly in drying, leaving both sides of the 
wing smooth and taut as the head of a drum. 

There are many other materials which make excellent coverings. 
A fine silk drawn tightly over the frame and sewed and glued in 
position makes a very attractive wing. The cloth must be closely 
woven, since a very thin material lets the air through and does not 
give proper support. It is a good plan to varnish the surface of 
the planes to make them air-tight. Some builders make the frames 
of wire and cover them with paper or silk. Still others use sheet 
celluloid. It is best to begin, however, with the simpler materials 
which are easiest to work, and experiment later when one has had 
more experience. Remember in building wings that the edges 
should be as narrow as possible to cut the air, as it were, and offer 
the least possible resistance. 

It is well to leave the construction of the main frame of your 
hydro-aeroplane until the wings are constructed, since the experi- 
ence in building these parts will be of value. The frame which 
supports the planes and motor consists of a triangle, lightly but 
strongly made, measuring three feet in length, and five inches in 
width. You will find bamboo an excellent material, as in the case 
of the wings, although a light straight wood will answer. Secure 
two strips of bamboo, or whatever material you use, measuring 
one-eighth of an inch by three-eighths of an inch and thirty-six 
inches in length. For the base you will need a stick three-eighths 
of an inch square and seven inches long. 

These strips are to be formed into a triangle with a base of five 
inches. The base piece will, therefore, extend out one inch on 
either side. The two long sticks should be bevelled on one side at 
the end and glued and bound securely together. The triangle is 
completed by slightly mortising the base piece and the ends of the 
sides to form neat joints and gluing and binding them together. 
The frame will be found very light, and should be braced by three 
cross-pieces. Use a thin strip of bamboo or other light wood and 
glue and tie it to the sides to brace it. These may be run straight 
across parallel to the base or diagonally. Be careful to finish the 
frame as neatly as possible. The whole should be sandpapered 
and painted with a thin varnish. Bear in mind that a smooth 
surface offers less resistance to the air. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 89 

Now is as good a time as any to attach the floats to the frame. 
There are a great many forms of floats, but a very simple design 
win answer best. Using a thin strip of bamboo, of one-sixteenth 
of an inch or less, attach two pieces to form the letter Y, the fork 
being four inches in length and the lower part six inches in length. 
The pieces should be glued and tied in position. Prepare three 
such parts. Now soak the ends of the pieces in water until they 
are pliable. The two upper sections of the Y are then turned back 
at a point one inch from the end, while the longer end is bent at 
right angles. Now fasten the upper ends of the Y to the base of the 
frame with glue and thread, exactly at the center. The other two 
should be fastened one to 
either side of the frame and y o' 

about four inches from the 
front of the frame. 

The floats or pontoons on 
which the hydro-aeroplane 
rests are very simple. Some 
builders use small blocks of 
wood measuring one and one- 
half by three inches, with a 



I 
i 



thickness of one-quarter of an ' . I ^ 

inch. Another plan is to con- plat pontoon. 

struct two ovals of thin strips 

of bamboo two inches long and half an inch across, connect the 
I two by cross-pieces at the ends and sides, and cover the frame with 
I oiled silk well varnished. The form of the pontoons does not much 
, matter as long as they are light and buoyant. The pontoons are 

then fastened to the skids, two forward and one at the rear, of the 
j frame. The shape of the skid makes no difference, but it is essen- 
I tial that the pontoons be fastened rigidly. The front pontoon 
^ should be attached with longer supports, so that the model when 

resting on the water will slant slightly upward. After completing 
I the skids set them aside and install the motor before attaching 
I them. 

I The motor is one of the most interesting details of the model 
I "hydro." There have been countless experiments to devise 

some motive power light and efficient enough to drive these deli- 
j cate machines. Nothing has been discovered, however, to com- 



90 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



pare with the rubber-strand motor. This consists merely of a 
number of strands of rubber running from end to end of the motor 
base, which when twisted tightly unwind, driving the propellers 
at high speed. 

To install the motor, first place two hooks on either side of the 
apex of the frame. Secure a stout wire which will hold its shape 
and drill a hole through the frame one inch from the end and pass 
the wire through it. Now bend back the wire on both sides and 
shape the ends mto two hooks wide enough to hold the strands of 

rubber forming the motor. 



r^ 



T 

r^3 






—2"- ^ 

ELLIPTICAL PONTOON. 



The sides of the hooks should 
be bound tightly to the frame 
with strong twine and touched 
with glue. To construct the 
motor itself, you will require 
about twenty strips of rubber 
forty inches in length. Some 
builders use strip rubber, 
while others prefer a strand 
one-sixteenth of an inch 
square. This rubber may be 
obtained from the dealers in 
such supplies at a cost of one 
cent a foot. This is the chief 
item of expense in building a model hydro-aeroplane. It is im- 
portant that the best rubber be secured. 

Cut the rubber into twenty lengths each forty inches in length. 
Now gather the ends of ten strands and bind them tightly together 
with a strong thread. Next take a piece of the wire and bend it to 
form a double hook about one inch in length, and securely fasten 
the end of the strands to one end. Fasten similar hooks to both ends 
of the two groups of strands. The rubber may thus be hooked to 
the frame or the propeller shafts readily. You cannot be too careful 
of the rubber. When not in use keep it in a dry, cool place. 

The shaft of the propellers will turn in the base of the frame just 
outside the triangle. It is a good plan to buy these shafts ready 
made, since they cost but a few cents and may be purchased at 
any of the model aeroplane supply houses. The ready-made parts 
will be lighter and truer than any you can make, but they are not 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



91 



essential. In case you buy these parts, drill a hole in the end of 
the base half an inch from the ends just large enough to hold the 
metal securely and drive and wedge it firmly in place, using a little 
glue if necessary. If you are working without these parts, secure 
a piece of steel wire — a large hat pin or an old bicycle spoke will 
answer — and a piece of tubing just large enough for it to turn 
freely. Cut the tube into two one-half-inch lengths, drill holes of 
the same diameter in the base stick, pass them through it, and 
fasten them securely in position. 

The model is now ready for the propellers. We have left these 
until the last because they require more skill than any other 
detail of the aeroplane, and the experience gained thus far will be 
needed in their construction. The beginner will do well to pur- 
chase his propellers ready made. It is very important that they 



A 




—^ ^ 


^ ,^ 


B 


H 


6" 


— — i 



PROPELLER BLOCK. 



be carved skilfully with just the right angles. They may be bought 
cheaply, ready mounted. Even if you intend to make your own 
propellers it will be well to purchase a pair to use as models. 
Another plan is to buy propeller blocks for a few cents each and 
whittle out the propellers from these. 

In case you prefer to make the propellers yourself, however, 
the following instructions will enable you to build an efficient pair, 
and with practice you can make them quite as well as the regular 
manufacturers. Prepare two blocks of some light, straight-grained 
wood, measuring six inches in length, one and one-half inch in 
width and one inch in thickness. Mark the center of each side 
and draw two lines on the upper face bisecting the block. At the 
center draw a circle with a diameter of one-quarter of an inch. 
With a sharp knife cut away one edge (A) and the opposite edge 
on the lower side (B) until a blade a trifle less than one-eighth of 



92 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

an inch has been formed. Next cut away the other end of the 
block beginning with the opposite side, so that the blades will be 
at an angle of about forty -five degrees. Cut away to the circle at 
the center. The outer edges should be rounded off and the whole 
sandpapered and varnished. The axle should be passed through 
the hub at the center and fixed firmly in position. Now pass the 
axle through the tube in the base stick and bend the wire into a 
hook to hold the end of the rubber strands. 

To wind the motors and store energy for the flight, attach the 
rubber strands to the hook at the end of the base and turn the 
propellers. It will be found much more convenient to secure a 
winder, which is designed something like an egg beater, so that 
one turn will twist the rubber half a dozen or more times. If you 
use a winder the turning is done from the front end. The rubber 
strands are unhooked and hooked on the winder and replaced on 
the hook when wound up. The motors must be wound in opposite 
directions. Turn the rubber until a double row of knots is formed. 
You will soon find by actual experiment how many turns the motor 
should have to get the best results. 

To set up the machine place the larger plane about two inches 
from the base and tie it in position with a single strand of rubber. 
The smaller plane should be fastened about three inches from the 
front end in the same way. Much depends upon the position of 
the planes, and they must be moved backward and forward until 
they are in the proper position. It may be found necessary to 
tilt the planes slightly upward by inserting blocks of wood under 
the forward edges to give the machine the proper lift. It is impos- 
sible to lay down any hard-and-fast rules for the position of the 
wings. 

To fly the hydro-aeroplane wind up both motors in opposite 
directions, and, holding the propellers with one hand, place the 
machine carefully on the water and let go. When properly ad- 
justed the machine will dart forward and, after gliding over the 
surface of the water, will begin to rise slowly. Once free of the 
water, it should climb rapidly and sail through the air until its 
motors are run down. 



CHAPTER III 
How to Build a Good Model Aeroplane 

A MACHINE THAT WILL FLY ONE THOUSAND FEET 

Do you know how many fellows in this country, alone, are 
making and flying model aeroplanes? Their numbers run up into 
the thousands already. How many of you have seen a good flying 
model or been to a meet where several of these little flyers were in 
the air at once? It is great sport to watch a well-made model "take 
to the air." Some will rise and circle gracefully around, avoiding 
obstructions as if they had minds of their own, and again they will 
go headlong into the topmost branches of a tree, which means a 
climb after them. But generally the model will rise and get away 
in a fine undulating flight, with its owner doing some cross-country 
sprinting in trying to keep up with it. 

At a recent contest a model built by a boy rose to a great height 
by gradually ascending circles, until it was completely out of sight, 
remaining aloft ninety-one seconds. The one described here has 
made flights of from looo to 1400 feet in a "straight away" and 
remained in the air three-quarters of a minute. 

The first thing to consider in making this model is what materials 
are needed. Here they are : 

1. Six feet of flat oiled steel wire, for framework of planes and 
ribs; 

2. One sheet of bamboo fibre paper, for covering planes; 

3. Two straight-grained spruce sticks three feet long by ^xyV, 
for fuselage ; 

4. Two feet of split bamboo, for cross braces ; 

5. Three feet of one-sixteenth inch steel wire, for hooks, etc.; 

6. Two seven-inch propeller blanks, for propellers; 

7. Forty-two feet of three-thirty-second inch square rubber, for 
motors; 

93 



94 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



8. One egg beater, for winder; 

9. One can of glue, for joints; 

10. One spool of strong linen thread, for lashing joints; 

11. One can of bamboo varnish, for coating planes; 

12. One four-inch piece of brass, for bearings; 

13. One-half dozen washers, for bearings. 



rSOUT HaNE 




RjOPtLttR 



PLANS FOR A MODEL AEROPLANE. 



The main frame or fuselage is triangular in shape and is made 
of straight-grained spruce, each side or member being thirty-five 
inches long by jqX}^". One end of each stick is tapered off on the 
inside, to form an acute angle when fastened together, which is 
done by gluing and lashing with thread as shown in Fig. 2. The 
other ends are braced six and one-half inches apart by a piece of 
bamboo fastened on top of the fuselage by lashing with thread and 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 95 

gluing one-half inch from the rear end of each member of the 
fuselage. The middle cross-brace is also of bamboo and is fastened 
in the same way as was the rear brace, on top of the fuselage mid- 
wa}" between the ends as shown in Fig. i . Now two blocks f GG) 
are cut to form steps and are glued and lashed tighth* with thread 
to the top of the fuselage with the flat sides of the blocks on the 
sticks, three and one-half inches from the apex (front end). These 
blocks are for elevating or depressing the front plane. The object 
of this is explained in the section on Front Plane. 

Bore a hole about one-sixteenth inch through the frame from 
side to side one-half inch from the apex. A piece of one- sixteenth- 
inch wire, 3 inches long, is inserted and each end bent into a hook 
to receive the S hooks of the rubber motors as shown in Fig. 2. 

These can be made or bought. To make, get a piece of three- 
sixt\"-fourths-inch brass five -sixteenths-inch wide and four inches 
long. This is enough to make two propeller hangers and should 
be cut in half and bent with phers to form two U-shaped pieces 
(see drawing Fig. 3). Or use the same amount of flat metal that 
you will cut off in making your winder described later on. Now 
bore a one- sixteenth -inch hole through the ends so that the pro- 
peller shafts will tmn easily. These are glued and lashed to the 
rear ends of the fuselage with the ends of the U extending out from 
the frame as shown in Fig. 3. For the shafts use two pieces of wire 
three and one-half inches long, the same size as the holes, and with 
phers bend a hook at one end of each wire to support the rubber 
motors. Push the shafts through the holes in the brass hangers 
with the hooked ends toward the front of the fuselage; plac^ a 
small bead and washer on the disengaged end of the wire shaft. 
Next shp the propellers on the shafts, with the cur\-ed edges of the 
blades leading. In revoh"ing the}' should turn out in opposite 
directions. The straight ends of the shafts are bent back over the 
propellers to keep them from turning on their shafts. To cut the 
propellers refer to section on Propellers. 

The frame of the plane F is made of wire; the best to use is a 
flat oiled steel, which will stay bent. A piece 43 inches long is 
required: it is bent with phers to the shape shown in Fig. i, and the 
ends lapped one-half inch and fastened by gluing and lashing them 
four and one-half inches from one end of the wire. This four and 
one-haH inch end is used as a brace or rib; and should cross the 



96 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

plane frame six inches from one end of the frame. It is held by 
gluing and lashing it to the opposite side of the frame, as shown 
in Fig. 4. A corresponding rib, five inches long, with each end 
bent one-half inch, is fastened in the same way to each side of the 
frame or rim six inches from the other end. After the frame is 
finished, with pliers bend the front middle portions of the rib 
slightly upward (about one-half inch) as shown in Fig. 4. This 
is to give what is known as camber and increases the lifting power 
and stability of the flyer considerably. The tips of the plane frame 
are also bent up slightly, about 30 degrees, to keep the model 
steady in flight. 

Use light, strong paper; bamboo fibre paper is the best. Lay 
the wire frame upside down on the paper and cut around the frame, 
allowing about one-quarter inch for turning over. The paper is 
glued along the edges and turned back over the rim of the plane 
frame; be sure that it sticks fast. Care must be taken to get the 
paper as tight as possible, as wrinkled surfaces hinder the flying 
qualities. The plane is now ready to be painted or sized with a 
thin varnish ; bamboo varnish is the best, spreading it evenly over 
the paper. This tends to shrink and tighten the fibre, and forms 
an airtight, strong surface that will give great sustaining power. 

This small plane is sometimes called the elevating plane, as by 
raising or lowering it regulates the upward and downward move- 
ment of the model in flight. It is made of the same material and 
like the main plane, with the exception that it is bent up at the ends 
to form a dihedral angle of about 45 degrees, as shown in Fig. 2. 
This plane has only one rib and is covered with the paper on the 
underside instead of on the top. The wire for the rim and single 
rib is twenty-four inches long and bent, and the rib formed in the 
way described. 

The small plane is fastened on top of the fuselage three inches 
from the apex, with its straight front edge over the blocks GG, by 
wrapping with a strip of rubber tightly around the plane and frame, 
first over the plane and then under the fuselage as shown in Fig. 2. 
The main (rear) plane is fastened on top of the fuselage in a similar 
way, with its straight front edge eight inches from the rear brace 
of the fuselage. 

Make four S hooks from a piece of one-sixteenth-inch wire and 
hook them on the front rubber anchorage and propeller shafts to 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 97 

hold the rubber. About forty-two feet of three-thirty-seconds-inch 
square rubber are needed ; twenty-one feet for each motor. Make 
a loop in both ends of each portion of rubber and hook one over the 
front S hook, then pass the rubber around through the S hook at 
the rear, back and forth, until the second loop is slipped on a hook. 
Do the same with the other rubber motor. 

There are two propellers for this flyer, one a right-hand and the 
other a left-hand propeller. A right-hand propeller is one of which 
the uppermost blade turns toward the right as the propeller re- 
volves in traveling forward. Of course, a left-hand propeller turns 
in the opposite direction. 

In making a propeller the best way is to buy what is known 
as "blanks," which can be had from almost any supply dealer. 
It is then cut into shape with a knife, which would be a good 
deal easier than cutting the blank first out of a block of wood. 

In making a right-hand propeller, draw a curved diagonal line 
at each end of the blank at opposite angles as shown in A, Fig. 6. 
To carve, hold the blank in the left hand, cut the portion B out, 
starting at the dotted line C, as shown in Fig. 6, so that the blades 
will be concave, i. e., curved in as shown in D, Fig. 7. The blank 
is then turned over and the portion E, Fig. 7, is cut to follow the 
other side. Care must be taken, however, not to get the blade so 
thin as to weaken it. Observe carefully in the drawing how the 
propeller is shaped at the middle for a hub. It is at this point the 
full thickness of the blank. The same process is used for the 
other blade of the propeller. The leading edge is always the 
curved edge. 

When the four sides are finished, sandpaper the surfaces until 
they are perfectly smooth. The propeller should now look like 
Fig. 8. 

To make a left-hand propeller, the curved diagonal line at the 
beginning is drawn at an opposite angle, and the opposite cutting 
operation is carried out. 

It would take altogether too long to wind up the rubber motors 
by turning the propellers. One of the best ways to accomplish the 
winding is to make a winder from an egg beater, which is shown 
in Fig. 5, although a better one can be made from a hand drill. 
The two beaters, of flat metal, are each clipped three inches from 
the gear wheels on one side and one and three-quarters inch on the 
7 



98 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

other. Then slip in the gear wheels with the attached pieces of 
metal down on the heavy wire on which they revolve and cut the 
wire off three-quarters inch from the cast iron bracket to which 
the ends of the wire are bound. 

Now put the gear wheels and the attached metal extensions back 
on these three-quarters-inch wire stubs, and hold them there by 
soldering on a piece of brass tubing that will just fit on the wire 
stub or axle, moderately close to the gear wheels. Now bend the 
flat extensions on a line with the wire stubs, so that the tips of the 
extensions will meet; the extra one- quarter inch of flat metal on 
one side is turned over on the other shorter end, and through these 
three thicknesses of metal a one-sixteenth-inch hole is bored. 
Make two S hooks out of a three-inch piece of one-sixteenth-inch 
wire (same as used for the S hooks of the rubber motors). Insert 
a hook of the S in the one-sixteenth-inch hole and pinch it together 
with pliers, to keep the hook tightly in place. The winder now 
looks like Fig. 5. Both rubbers can be wound up at the same 
time by hooking them on the hooks of the winder; one turn of the 
large wheel means five turns of the rubber. 

Put a little oil on the bearings so that the propellers will turn 
easily. 

Have some one hold the model at the rear by the propellers and 
fuselage. Unhook the S hooks with the attached rubber from the 
front rubber anchorage and hook them on the winder, step back 
until you have stretched the rubber about twice the length of the 
machine, and wind it up about 100 turns oj the winder for a trial 
flight. Then hook it back on the front rubber anchorage. 

Grasp the rear cross-brace with the right hand in such a way as 
to prevent the propellers from unwinding, supporting the flyer by 
the middle cross-brace with the left hand. Push the flyer forward 
through the air, letting go with both hands at the same time. 

Longer flights can be made by winding the rubber up a greater 
number of turns; 250 turns of the winder is the limit. 

Be patient if things don't go just right; keep trying; you will 
succeed. 



CHAPTER IV 
Two Very Simple Model Aeroplanes 

MODEL NUMBER ONE 

The principles of flying are really simple when understood, and 
the wonder is that they were not discovered long ago. We always 
knew that a large piece of paper, or any flat object of considerable 
area, would present so much surface to the air, if kept in a hori- 
zontal position, that it could not fall rapidly. The trick was to 
make one or more flat surfaces or planes, as they are now called, 
and balance them so nicely that they would maintain their position 
parallel to the ground. The Wright brothers accomplished this 
in some of their earlier models, and were able to glide slowly down 
from hills, sometimes alighting a half-mile from the starting 
point. Thus encouraged beyond their fondest hopes, they went 
further and added devices to their machine that enabled them to 
tilt the wings or planes to any desired angle, retarding the down- 
ward motion at will. 

As a boat is forced through the water by the screw wheel in the 
rear, so an air craft may be made to move forward by a similar 
propeller. The only thing that remained was to provide some 
force to drive the propeller that would be light enough to be prac- 
tical. The Wright brothers searched about until they found an 
engine light enough for their purpose, and their efforts to fly soon 
became successful. 

The toy pictured here depends for its buoyancy on the same 
principles that govern all successful aeroplanes. The planes pre- 
vent it from falling quickly, the wheel drives it. 

First get the long stick or spine. It should be one-quarter inch 
square and must be light and straight grained. There is nothing 
better for the purpose than a piece of white or cork pine. Each 
plane is twelve inches long and six inches wide. To make them 

99 



lOO 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



you will need four pieces of rattan each twenty inches long. You 
can get it at factories where baby carriages and reed chairs are 




PIvAN FOR MODEL AEROPLANE, NO. I. 

manufactured or you can obtain some from an old piece of furni- 
ture. To make one plane you use two pieces bent to a U shape 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME loi 

and fastened together at the ends by wrapping with thread, as 
shown in Fig. 6. Nail the planes to the twenty-seven-inch stick 
with small brads. The planes are covered with light cloth. It 
may be stitched on or glued. Pull it tight enough to make the 
planes curve slightly upward at the ends. To the rear end of the 
spine we now attach a strip of tin bent and fixed on, as shown in 
"C," Fig. 2. Next cut a strip of tin to the shape and size of Fig. 
3. Slit it as shown in "D" and "E" in Fig. 4, bending over to make 
fast to the wire key as in Fig. 5. The rubber band "A" in 
Fig. 2 is fastened to the wire "B" in Fig. 2. This cut shows the 
whole arrangement very clearly. As might be expected, the end 
that has the fixtures on will be considerably heavier than the other, 
so to balance up we put a spool or knob on the fore end. The best 
way to do this is to put a common spool on, and if it proves too light, 
wrap wire around it until the aeroplane will balance nicely when 
suspended from the ceiling with a thread tied to the center. 

To use the toy, you twist the wheel around until you have it as 
tight as the rubber band will stand and then toss it into the air, 
releasing the tension at the same time. It will ascend to a good 
height and then glide gracefully to the ground. 

MODEL NUMBER TWO 

This article shows how to make a complete monoplane model, 
using as power a bow and string which has been drawn tight by 
twisting the wheel. Upon being released it gives a powerful 
impetus to the wheel. The idea is a brand new one and marks the 
beginning of a new kind of toy flyer. 

First get a stick one-quarter inch square and eighteen inches long. 
It must be sound and straight grained. Spruce or ash being favor- 
ite woods, the main point is to have the backbone light and strong. 
Put on a piece of hickory or any flexible piece for the bow at about 
the position shown. The exact distance is best determined by 
experimenting. Fasten it with wire so that it may be moved till 
you get the right balance. The plane is made of silk stretched on 
a rattan frame 18x4". It is curved up by putting tight strings 
parallel with each other from corner to corner. The amount of 
curvature (one inch) is shown by Fig. 8. The small plane (9 x 3") is 
made in the same way. Its mission is something like that of the 



I02 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



tail of a kite. Figure 5 gives a clear idea of cutting a square spruce 
stick into propeller shape. The planes are fastened to the back- 
bone or spine in the manner shown in Fig. 7. Use very fine wire 
or strong thread for the lashing. Now comes the power plant. 

Bend a long strip of tin double and tack or tie it to the long stick 
or spine as shown in Fig. 2. Close to the end of the stick place the 



Fl$..5. 




PLAN FOR MODEL AEROPLANE, NO. 2. 



small piece "A." (See Fig. 4 for complete view.) For a shaft we 
use a bicycle spoke. For the cross-arms "A" in Fig. 2 use two 
spokes threaded through slits in the tin and twisted together. The 
little piece "X" is found on spokes, and used to tighten them. 
Get two of those and place one on each side of the cross arm, to be 
used as pulleys. It is well illustrated in Fig. 3. "Y," in this same 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 103 

cut, is a bead used for a bearing. It is a simple thing to understand, 
but you must work carefully and slowly to get right results. Look 
the drawing over carefully and study the details. Everything is 
shown and it will answer any question that might come to your 
mind. 

A bearing is that part of a machine that comes in contact with 
any other part that turns or moves. Always try to make those 
parts slippery by using oil, and to further reduce the friction use a 
bead, in this case at "W," in Fig. 2. Now put your wheel on, use 
strong fishline for a bow string, simply tying it on ; bring each end 
over a different pulley on the sides of the cross-arms "A" in Fig. 2. 
Twist the propeller until the bow is drawn as much as it will stand, 
then toss the aeroplane gently up. It should fly fifty or sixty feet 
at least, and is not liable to be broken, for the planes will cause it 
to glide safely to the ground even after the power is spent. The 
greatest difficulty you will have to overcome is to balance the 
device properly to make it light enough. 



CHAPTER V 
Kites 

A LARGE PLANE KITE 

Kits flying, although the oldest form of scientific amusement, 
seems to be entering a new era of development. Perhaps it is 
because of the intense interest which attaches to anything in the 
way of aerial navigation, accentuated by the late successes of 
aviators both here and abroad. At any rate, new kite models are 
appearing every day, and not only boys, but men whose names 
are high on the scroll of fame are the inventors. 

The wood used for the framework was straight grained laths 
planed on all sides. For the main beams of the front section and 
the top and bottom of the rear section the laths were ripped in 
two; for the uprights and connecting pieces they were cut in three 
pieces lengthwise. Begin by making the main section. Fig. 3, 
which is composed of three planes. Eight sticks two feet long are 
used for uprights, and six sticks four feet long for the main beams. 
They are nailed together with small brads. The corner joint is 
shown at Fig. 2. The two ends are made first, using two sticks two 
feet long and two fourteen inches long. Connect these by the four 
four-foot beams. This gives the framework for the top and bottom 
planes. Then halfway between the two the middle one is built in. 
Now sixteen inches from the ends of each plane the uprights are 
fastened. This is clearly shown by the diagram. Fig. 3. The wire 
skids shown in the picture to protect the kite in running to fly it 
or in landing should be put in now. For the rear section we use 
six pieces fifty-seven and one-half inches long, four pieces two feet 
long, and six pieces fourteen inches long. As laths are only forty- 
eight inches long, they will have to be spliced by overlapping and 
nailing. The back end should be framed first as in the case of the 
main section. The dimensions are given and the manner of joining 

104 



nm <x;Ti>rx>fe wri AT Wiy^u, 



pn 




c^y ^i ^ 



"* ^ 7^, r. •■ i f' 



qq Itqfp 




^>y»' #>>*' ^^i^ ¥«9if. 






io6 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



tened from corner to corner. For a covering use strong muslin. 
It is laced and sewed on, first the middle planes and then the out- 
side. The bridle cord is fastened to the ends of the middle cord. 
Where the strings come together should be a distance of three feet 
from the frame. For flying the kite strong fish-line is required. 
You will be repaid many fold for the labor of making it when you 
see it up in the air like a real aeroplane and feel the mighty tug at 
the cord. The kite, though large, is simple, serviceable, and efficient. 



A MAN-I.IFTING KITE 

Of late years so much experimenting with kites has been done 
by earnest investigators that new types and models appear almost 

every day. In reality, 
/^/Q^ f nearly all of those models 

are closely related to the 
common type of flat paper 
kite known to every boy 
in the world. However, 
more skill has been used 
in keeping down the weight 
and increasing the pulling 
power, and in some in- 
stances kites have been 
made so strong that they 
would lift a man off the 
ground. In this article 
is described one of those 
giant models with tre- 
mendous lifting power. 
Only three sticks are 
used, but these must 
be of the best quality. 
Spruce is a good wood on 
account of its being light 
and tough, but no doubt 
you will be able to find 
as good material, if you can't get spruce. Be sure your sticks are 
straight grained and a trifle heavier in the middle than at the ends. 




/ 






-X 




MAN-LIPTING KITE- 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 107 

Material one-half inch square is good, but I have a leaning for 
pieces one and one-half inches wide and one-half inch thick. 
The latter are heavier, and that, for a beginner, is one bad disad- 
vantage. Where the sticks cross each other they may be fastened 
together with two brads or by tying with thread. The long single 
stick is bowed by stretching a stout cord from end to end, as is 
shown in Fig. 2. The belly band, or bridle cord, as it is called by 
the wise ones, is put in as indicated by Fig. i. The tying should 
be done at a distance of about ten inches from the points. The kite 
is covered with fine meshed cloth. Light muslin, drilling, or Japan- 
ese silk are used a good deal for this purpose, but I would advise 
you to get the first mentioned, as it is the cheapest. The kite has 




KITE HAULING BOAT. 

no tail, as the bow effect makes it unnecessary. In putting on the 
cloth leave it full enough to permit of bellying out. The cord used 
to fly the kite must, of course, be heavy in proportion to the rest of 
it. I do not say that one of the kites will lift a heavy man off the 
ground, but I have seen three or four on a single line do so. 

Some day when you go rowing put one of those big fellows up 
and tie the end of the line to the bow of the boat. If there is any 
kind of a stiff breeze it will pull you along, but, of course, getting 
back is a different thing. It may be tried on an ice-boat and will 
no doubt be able to send you gliding along. You should put some 
kind of reel on your boat. A simple one can be made by placing 
a spool between two upright posts. 



io8 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



A BOX KITE 

Here is a box kite that is framed in quite a new way. It is not 
as strong as the regular four-sided frame, but it has the advantage 
of Hghtness, and is so constructed that the strength is where the 
strain comes most. It will fly well, but must be handled carefully 



flG 5 




A BOX KITE. 



while on the ground. To have success in kite flying you must 
understand something about the principles of aeronautics. A kite 
or an aeroplane floats on the same principle that a boat does. 
The air is a medium that has density and weight just like water, 
but, of course, not so great. The planes or flat surfaces of this kite 
rest upon the air and are supported by it. The ascent of a kite of 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 109 

this type is due to the tilting upward of the fore part of it. If it 
were held parallel to the earth it would not go up. In the upper 
air there are strata or layers. Some have more density than others, 
and when the plane strikes one of those it may be easily pulled up 
this hill of air just as you would pull a sled up a more solid incline. 
The central cut shows the framework of this kite so clearly that 
a lengthy explanation would be quite superfluous. In the detail 
drawings you may see how the joining is done. In Fig. i "Y" 
and "Z" are the thirty- two-inch sticks, "X" represents the twenty- 
inch pieces. Spruce or pine are the choice of materials, but any- 
thing will do in a pinch. Lightness and toughness are the qualities 
to look for. The sticks would be better to be one-quarter inch 
square, but of the lighter woods they may be one-half inch square. 
Figure 2 shows the notch cut in each long stick where they join each 
other to make the X-shaped end. The cross-sticks on the ends 
of the thirty-two-inch pieces are also notched as shown in the 
detail Fig. 3. Glue all joints and also secure them with small 
brads. The covering is of light muslin. When it is lashed on it 
will materially strengthen the frame. There is no certain way of 
attaching a bridle cord other than to be sure that "C" is longer 
than the other string so that the kite will tilt slightly upward. 
Rub linseed oil on the sticks and it will preserve them against 
splits and warping. 

A TUBULAR KITE 

Here is something quite new and different in the kite line. The 
type of kite shown here has been tested and found effective. The 
first thing to make is a rectangular frame 36 x 6". It is made of 
quarter-inch spruce or any tough wood. The pieces are fastened 
together with small brads taken from a cigar box. In the center of 
this rectangle place another stick forty inches long. Now you 
want a light hoop for each end. The kind your mother uses for 
fancy work will be just the thing. They can be purchased for a 
nickel a pair. The cross-pieces, slightly bowed, are next tacked on. 
The joints may be reinforced by wrapping with waxed thread. 
The covering may be either cloth or paper. Make a tube of Japan- 
ese silk by sewing the edges of a piece one yard long and a trifle 
over a half yard wide together. Slip it over the rings before you 



no 



THE BOYS' WORKvSHOP 



put the cross-pieces on. It should fit tightly. The ends a few inches 
back are not sewed until the thirty-six-inch cross-pieces are on. 
The pieces mentioned arc secured in place, then the tube may be 
finished to the ends and fastened to the hoops by stitching through 
holes punched in the hoops or bored with a gimlet. The side wings 
are too simple to need any explanation. The bridle cord is attached 
to the central stick. The string used for it may be passed through 
the cloth by using a needle. The purpose of a bridle cord is to give 



Fi^.t. 




A TUBULAR KITE. 



the kite a tilt. The fore end must be the highest always. An angle 
of 45 degrees is right for this kite. The long center stick is also 
used as a bearing for the propeller in the rear. The propeller is 
made of a light pine block four inches in diameter and a half inch 
thick. Slant cuts to the depth of an inch are made with a saw as 
shown in Fig. 3. Into these cuts blades made of basket wood or 
cardboard are glued. Bore a gimlet hole in the wooden disk and 
for a shaft use a nail that fits loosely and is tightly imbedded in 
the long stick. The kite is now ready for a trial. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



III 



KITE PARACHUTE 

Kite flying in itself is great fun, but when you can add something 
to the simple pleasure of seeing your kite soar high above your 
head and tug at the string you hold m your fingers, you will find 
a fresh delight in the pastime. Of course, you have seen balloon 
ascensions and parachute drops. Well, why not add the parachute 




KITE PARACHUTE. 



feature to your kite ? It can be done very easily if you wiU study 
the following directions: 

Get a piece of tissue paper or cloth shaped like Fig. 3. Tie a 
cord twenty inches long to each comer and bring them together at 
the lower ends, at which point a light weight, such as a piece of 
corncob, is tied. Pierce the center of the cloth with a pin and bend 
it over the string as shown in Fig. 2. WTien the wind has carried 
the parachute to a good height a sUght jerk will release it. 



CHAPTER VI 

An Outdoor Gymnasium 

Every boy likes to have at his disposal gymnastic apparatus. 
There are printed here, therefore, several simple devices that can 
be erected in your yard at very little expense. The first is an old- 
fashioned turning pole, called nowadays a horizontal bar. The 
main part consists of two stout posts sunk into the ground. The 
height over the surface will depend upon your stature. The bar 



r¥ 




A HORIZONTAL BAR. 

should be about six inches higher than you can reach. To make 
the posts solid and firm we brace them from three sides, as shown 
in the cut. Figure 2 shows how the wire is fastened to the hooks. 
The low end of the wire is fastened to a stake driven into the ground 
at an angle. This stake is reinforced by another directly behind it, 
and for greater strength a third stake may be driven. This is the 
idea of a boy correspondent and is good. If you adopt this means 

112 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 113 

of bracing the supports it will not be necessary to sink them more 
than a foot, but the wire stays may be eUminated and a neater 
job effected by sinking the posts three feet in concrete. Use the 
1-2-3 mixture, that is, one part cement, two of sand, and three of 
stone. For a bar at the top you can use a piece of pipe with the 
ends hammered down and bored for bolts as shown in Fig. 3. Any 
blacksmith will do this work for you at a shght cost or you can do 
it yotu-seh". Heat the end of the pipe in a coal fire till it sputters 
and glows red, then, grasping it with something to shield your hand 
from the heat, you can hammer it flat and punch holes in it with a 
spike. If you prefer you can use a piece of hardwood of the same 
shape for the bar. Put one of those up in your back yard and 
practice chinning yourseh". It never gets out of order and will last 
a Hfetime. 

GY^IXASIUM LADDER 

You can have a good deal of fun with a ladder and incidentally 
get some good exercise by following the hints contained ia the 
following article. Figiu'e i shows an arrangement which makes 
a fair substitute for the Spanish rings. The boy swings from one 
rung to the other, the object being to see how manv times he can 
traverse the full length. Another sttmt is to stop at each one and 
chin yourself or to hang long enough to count ten, then on to the 
next, and so on. Nearly all the feats that may be performed on a 
horizontal bar may be done on the ladder and a greater variet)' 
by far is possible. 

The supports are made of 4 x 4" jxKts with a cross-piece resting 
on them, and are securely bolted together. If outside, they should 
be three feet in the ground and would be better to be packed with 
concrete. If inside, they must be bolted to a heavy lock or plate, 
which in turn is secured to the floor Figure 3 is an end \*iew. 
"C" and "B" are blocks which support the long piece "A." "D" 
represents the bolts. In use the ends of the ladder fit between 
the bolts and the supporting blocks. 

Figure 2 shows another simple arrangement for using a ladder 
for athletic work. The drawings make comment unnecessary. 
The low end of the ladder may be swung up and fastened like the 
high end. In Fig. i, by resting the center of the ladder on one of 
the supports, a balancing ladder is obtained. If you utilize the 
8 



114 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 




GYMNASIUM LADDER. 



plan as shown in the sketches you will discover that an almost 
endless variety of stunts will suggest themselves to you. 



A SWING TRAINER 

As indicated by the picture, this simple device will serve for a 
swing, flying rings, and trapeze. In setting it up keep in mind the 
fact that the indispensable quality is strength. It must not wobble 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



"5 



very much, and the timbers used must be at least 4 x 6" and of a 
strong, sound oak. For a fifteen-year-old boy of ordinary stature 
the height above the ground should be ten feet. The best way of 
setting the posts is to bed them in concrete. Dig your holes three 
feet deep and erect the timbers in a perfectly upright position. 
You will need a level to do 
this, and you must have .ct--_F1G.1 
light slats or props nailed to 
the uprights to keep them 
from moving while you are 
shoveling in the concrete. 
The concrete mixture is one 
sack of cement (100 pounds), 
costing forty cents, and eight 
cubic feet of broken stone 
and sand or river sand. Mix 
it thin and put in around the 
posts, a little at a time. 
Figure 5 makes the idea 
clear. It will take three 
weeks for the concrete to 
set firm and hard and dur- 
ing that time you must not 
touch the posts. 

The top cross-piece has 
two holes bored for the rope, 
and a rounded notch Y for 
the rope to slide in. The 
cleat. Fig. 4, is used to 

shorten the rope by tying it around same. Figure 2 shows the 
shape of the swing seat and the method of setting it in place. 

A half hour's daily practice on this device will go a great way 
toward keeping a growing boy in good shape. A variety of stunts 
may be accomplished, such as chinning yourself, climbing the rope 
hand over hand, trapeze work, turning pole tricks, flying leaps, and 
arm exercises. Begin with ten minutes of light work and gradually 
increase it to a half hour, keeping it at this period for a year. 
Then with the fine development gained, you may attempt almost 
any reasonable athletic stunt. 




A SWING TRAINER. 



^ 



ii6 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



A WHIRLING SWING 

The device shown here is built for joy, but its use will give you 
muscle and a good appetite besides. It is a combination swing, 
merry-go-round. May-pole, and see-saw. Once set up, you will 
have a hard time getting your turn at it, for everyone will want to 
use it at the same time, and every day you will discover new uses 
to which it may be put. You and a friend can sit on it and teeter 
up and down, or you can swing back and forth or whirl around 
through the air. You can grasp the ropes with your hand and run 
around until it has a good motion, then leap upon the seat board 
and you will rock and swing and whirl at the same time. But 
enough said on that point — experience alone will teach you its 




A wmRLING SWING. 

manifold uses. The center upright pole should be very strong and 
sound, ten feet long, 8 x 8" at the base, and 4 x 4" at the top. The 
legs or braces shown in Fig. 3 should be firmly spiked to the bottom, 
reaching a height of twenty-four inches from the lower end. Dig 
a large hole in the ground and sink it to a depth of three feet, so 
that about seven feet will extend over ground. Fill in the earth 
around the braces and pack it solidly. The cross-beam at the top 
is 4 X 4" or even heavier, and about eight feet long. Figure i 
shows how it is secured with one large bolt, and also illustrates the 
proper shape of the top of the upright post. The swings are put 
in place by means of heavy eye screws and then you are ready for 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



117 



some sport. If you have it in the back yard, which is perhaps the 
most hkely place, paint it green. 

SPRINGBOARD 

A springboard is subject to so much hard usage that it must be 
made of the most durable material and very strongly put together. 
Hickory, ash, or maple would be my choice of material, in the order 
named. Toughness, springiness, and lightness, coupled with a 
straight grain, are the qualities we want. 

For the base use two pieces of 2x4" scantling seven feet long. 
Round off the top corners a little, and under each of the four ends 




FIG. 5. 

1^ — ' ) 



nG.2. 



1 A SPRINGBOARD. 

\ 

I screw a piece of scantling four inches long and two inches thick. 
.; Next put in the front cross-piece, using the solid joint shown in 

Fig. 3. The rear brace, to which the springboard proper is fas- 
I tened, is much larger and stronger. Use a piece of 4 x 4" stuff for 
I it and fasten with long screws. Underneath this, when in use, put 
I blocks, so that it cannot spring down toward the floor. The top 

of this heavy cleat is beveled so that it will give the springboard 

an upward pitch, as shown in Fig. 4. 



ii8 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

For durability it would be better to use two thicknesses of inch 
boards than one of two-inch stuff, for the springers. Screw them 
firmly together by means of a cross-cleat at each end, under same, 
and then attach to the heavy rear brace. 

This board can be moved from place to place and is good for 
outdoor or indoor practice. It can be made to set firmly on the 
ground by driving stakes and spiking it to same. Indoors, blocks 
should be provided for it to slip under. Another simpler way is to 
have several boys stand on the rear end while one is taking his leap. 
The jumper must walk around and get on the rearmost part and 
so on. There is no livelier sport in the world than springboard 
leaping, and a surprising distance may be covered when you once 
get the knack. 

A HAMMER-THROWING DEVICE 

Hammer-throwing is a sport that the large, loosely built lad 
should go in for because it will make him solid and graceful, and 
his long arms and high stature are advantages of more value in 
propelling a ball to a great distance than superior strength. The 
strength he can gain by practice; the other requisites must be 
natural properties. 

If you are going to buy a hammer, this plan will save you about 
three dollars. Just look in the sporting goods catalogue and you 
will see that the price of a twelve-pound shot with the usual long 
handle is $3.50 for the very cheapest kind. The one explained 
here is just as good as the store article and will cost you not more 
than fifty cents. The first thing to do is to get a large screw eye 
and place a nut on the end of it. The eye of the screw should be 
about three-quarters of an inch inside diameter and the length 
of the screw should be three inches. It is shown in Fig. 4. When 
you have procured this, take it to a machine shop or iron foundry 
and tell the proprietor you want an iron ball cast with the screw 
eye in the center so that the eye will extend up through the top 
as in Fig. 4. If you take this drawing with you he will understand 
instantly. The ball you want is to be exactly four and three- 
eighths inches in diameter and will weigh twelve pounds. If he 
has a pattern of that size he will make it for you for three cents a 
pound, or thirty-six cents all told, but if he has to make a pattern, 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



119 



which can be done on a wood-turning machine in five minutes, 
he will charge you a little more. If he wants more than a half 
dollar, make the pattern yourself. When you receive the ball from 
the foundry, wire it up as shown, and vour hammer will be as ser- 




F.gJ. 



HAMMER-THROWING DEVICES. 



viceable as any you could buy for any price. For handholds or 
grips use old pail handles as shown in Fig. i . The length used for 
each handle is twelve and three-quarters inches, each of the three 
sides of the triangle being four and one-quarter inches. It should 
not take you more than a half hour to complete the whole job. 



CHAPTER VII 

A Hanging Whirligig 

The device described here is built for joy alone, but incidentally 
will furnish good outdoor exercise. 

To begin with, we must have a pole twelve or fourteen feet long 
and eight inches through at the base. This pole may be larger 
than this, for it is not possible to get it too stout and strong. It 
must set very firmly in the ground, for there will be a great strain 
on it. The height of the pole over the ground does not matter 
much. It may be from ten feet up or may be even seven or eight 
feet, but to make it firm at least four feet must be imbedded in 
the earth. A good plan to insure its being strong and remaining 
upright is to fill around with a 1-2-3 concrete mixture. This 
means that one part should be cement, two parts sand, and three 
parts stone. When the post is properly sunk the whirligig is sure 
to be a safe and enjoyable device. In the top of the post bore a 
hole about two inches in diameter to a depth of six inches. Then 
put one or more iron rings around so that it will not split. The 
rings may be omitted if the post is hard wood and pretty thick at 
the top, but you should at least wrap it with wire. On the top of 
the pole there is a three-spoke affair, made as in Fig. 6. Two of 
the pieces are shaped like "B" in Fig. 5, and one, the central one, 
like "A." Nail them securely together and bore a hole through 
the center. Through this hole pass a tightly fitting bolt and secure 
it with a nut underneath, as shown in Fig. 3. This turns around 
when the swing is in motion, and in order to reduce the friction 
you may nail a piece of sheet metal on top of the post. Pack the 
hole in the pole with grease and fit the bolt into it. Six ropes or 
cables hang from it, as shown in Fig. 6. 

The skeleton work of the platform is shown in Fig. 3. Use 
sound 2 X 4" pieces and fasten them with resined spikes or long 
screws. The upright handle used to push the machine around and 
to hold on to while it is in motion is shown in Fig. 7. The platform 
must be built around the base of the pole. When complete it is 
elevated about eight inches off the ground and the rope fastened 

120 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



121 



to it. Be sure to have it level, so it will turn evenly. If you wish 
to improve the appearance of the whirligig, paint it in bright colors, 
say, alternate strips of red and white, or make the whole thing 

fi&l 




A HANGING WmRLIGIG. 

green. In using it you stand alongside, grasp the handle, and run. 
Six may do so at the same time, and when it has gained speed hop 
on and ride. 



CHAPTER VIII 
Two Tree-climbing Devices 

FOR NUTTING SEASON 

Nut trees grow tall and large and are quite difficult to climb. 
As a matter of fact, the nuts always seem to be high and out of 




TREE-CUMBING DEVICE, NO. I. 
122 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 123 

reach. This is because the lower Hmbs are stripped by wandering 
hordes of boys long before the nuts are ripe. After a few good 
frosts is the time to go nutting. In my younger days the big 
problem was to get the coveted shellbarks off the high limbs. 
Throwing at them with bricks and clubs was the usual method, 
but it could not effect thorough work, and the element of danger 
from falling and bounding rocks was no small thing. Another 
scheme was to nail cleats to the tree trunk like the steps of a ladder. 
This was quite successful, but the amount of lumber needed is 
surprisingly large and would bar it unless you are going nutting 
with a horse and rig. One of the most useful articles a nutting party 
can take along is a coil of half -inch rope about forty or fifty feet in 
length. By tying a weight on one end you can easily toss it over 
one of the lower limbs and the weighted end will drop to the ground. 
You can then grasp the double line and ascend hand over hand 
fashion, or simply hold fast to one line and let the gang pull you 
up. A better plan is to tie small cleats to your rope, as shown in 
the accompanying sketches. With the aid of this device a boy of 
ordinary strength can have as much fun as the usual wiry fellow, 
singled out to do the steeplejack work. One end should be tied 
securely to the tree trunk. The drawing shows how the climber is 
made and used. 

A WIRE CLIMBER 

By the use of the simple wire loop any lad can climb to the fork 
of his favorite tree, no matter how high it may be. The drawings 
show the shape and proportionate size of the device so clearly 
that further description is unnecessary. Make it out of wire that 
is about the thickness of a common clothesline, place it loosely 
around the tree about two feet off the ground, place your right 
foot in the small loop and grasp the tree as you would in ordinary 
climbing. Now draw the foot up as far as you can and the wire 
will catch, permitting you to again stand in an upright position. 
You may stand and rest any time you wish, and for this reason 
the highest tree need have no terrors for you. If you have never 
tried this device you have missed one of the grandest and most 
ingenious inventions of childhood. Make one, and practice on 
some smaller trees of your neighborhood before you tackle the 
large shellbarks. One very important detail is to make the loop 



124 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



entirely from one piece of wire. If when in use it sticks and re- 
fuses to move either up or down, keep cool and touch it with the 




Tree-climbing dEvicB, no. 2. 




disengaged foot. There is absolutely no danger or chance of acci- 
dent if you follow directions closely. 



CHAPTER IX 

The Bow and Arrow 

Most boys who are fond of the woods and outdoor Hfe have an 
instinctive desire to get back to primitive conditions, and scarcely 
a boy can be found who at some time or other has not "played 
Indian." While many of the Redman's traits and habits are 
scarcely to be recommended as an example, yet the self-reliance, 
healthy life, and knowledge of woodlore and nature brought about 
by imitating the savage are most beneficial. 

Even if the outdoor boy does not act the part of the Indian, he 
will find added pleasure and interest in his woodland life if he 
learns to make his own weapons and implements, his own fishing 
tackle and camps, and can fashion his own moccasins and clothing 
from skins tanned by himself and obtained through his personal 
prowess as a hunter or trapper. 

Almost any boy can become a good shot with rifle or shotgun, 
and with modern arms very little skill is required to hunt and kill 
ordinary game, and the habit of always carrying a gun or rifle in 
the woods and blazing away at every living creature cannot be 
too strongly condemned. Unnecessary slaughter is cruel, wasteful, 
and unsportsmanlike, and with modern weapons the advantage 
is all on the side of the hunter. Although a sort of savage instinct 
causes us to enjoy hunting, yet the real pleasure is in the chase 
itself and not in the actual killing. Hunting is the best of training 
for body, mind, and eye, but far more real pleasure may be ob- 
tained by using bow and arrows for weapons than by the use of 
your up-to-date gun. The boy who hunts with bow and arrows 
and depends upon matching his own skill and cunning against that 
of his quarry gets far more enjoyment and benefit from his hunt 
than his friend with the gun, and gives his prey a fair show besides. 
Moreover, wild creatures hunted with bow and arrows seldom 
become shy or wild, even if shot at repeatedly, whereas the report 
of a gun soon frightens all the game within hearing. 

125 



126 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

Even if you do not hunt, a good bow and arrows will lend added 
pleasure to your outdoor life, for target shooting at imitation 
animals can be made quite interesting and exciting. 

Many of my readers may scoff at the idea of using a bow and 
arrows, for nowadays these implements have come to be regarded 
as mere toys or playthings by most people. You should not forget 
that the bow was the most important weapon of our ancestors for 
many centuries, and that the prowess of the English archers won 
many a hard-fought battlefield and laid the foundation for the 
great British Empire. Even our pioneer forefathers found the 
Indian bows and arrows dangerous weapons, while at the present 
time many tribes depend entirely upon the bow for hunting. 
Archery reached its highest development in the days of Robin 
Hood and the English bowmen, and while the stories of their deeds 
are doubtless greatly exaggerated, there is no question of the re- 
markable skill acquired by many of the British archers. 

It is an easy matter to become proficient in the use of the bow, 
and within the last few years many lovers of outdoor life have 
adopted the bow and arrows as hunting weapons. It seems almost 
incredible that geese and ducks may be killed in flight by an 
archer, and yet such men as Maurice Thompson and his followers 
have repeatedly accomplished this feat. 

Armed with a really good bow and properly made arrows any 
boy may easily become an expert archer, for practice is the only 
requirement, and you will be mightily surprised to find what a 
lot of fun you can derive from the use of these simple weapons. 
No one who has not experienced the sensation can possibly imagine 
the thrill felt by the archer at the twang of a taut bowstring and 
the soft whistle of a well-driven arrow, or the breathless interest 
with which he watches the flight of his feathered shaft as in a 
graceful curve it speeds straight and true to its mark. 

The first and most important requirements for the archer are 
perfect bows and arrows, and of the two the arrows are far more 
difficult to make and are of greater importance. As there is little 
chance for outdoor life during the late winter and early spring, 
much of your time may be happily employed in preparing your 
equipment for the coming season, and no portion of your outfit is 
worthy of more care and trouble than your bow and arrows. It 
takes time and patience to make these weapons properly, and it 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 127 

is an excellent plan to have several bows and a large number of 
arrows and strings on hand. 

The first step in making a bow is to secure the proper wood. 
Yew, cedar, orangewood, lancewood, ash, elm, hornbeam, apple, 
and hickory all make good bows, but of all the native woods I 
prefer good, straight-grained white hickory. The wood should 
be thoroughly seasoned winter-cut sticks, and if there is a carriage 
or wagon shop in your town you will find that the best place to 
obtain the right material. Bows vary greatly in length, width, 
thickness, and shape with different tribes and people, but, as a rule, 
the long, slender bows are best adapted for target work and long 
range, while the shorter and broader forms are more suitable for 
hunting. 

The North American Indians use short, broad bows, while the 
Central and South Americans use very long, slender bows, and both 
seem to succeed equally well. The arrows vary as much as the 
bows, and many of the South and Central American tribes use 
arrows four to six feet in length and entirely destitute of feathers. 
With such weapons I have seen them kill birds at the tops of 
tall forest trees and shoot fish several feet beneath the surface of 
rapid mountain streams. These peculiar arrows are, however, 
the exception, and you will do best to follow the more usual and 
conventional styles. 

For ordinary hunting use, your stick of wood should be about 
five feet long and two inches square, and should be cut so that the 
line between heart and sap wood runs exactly through the center. 
However, you should not be discouraged if you cannot obtain a 
piece with both heart and sap wood, for excellent bows may be 
fashioned from clear hickory or other wood, provided the grain is 
straight, fine, and free from knots or curls. 

The stave should then be worked down with draw shave and 
plane until about an inch thick and an inch and a half wide for 
fifteen to eighteen inches in the center, and from this should taper 
off to about three-fourths of an inch wide and half an inch thick 
at the ends. Great care should be used in scraping and working 
down the bow in order that the heart and sap wood may remain 
of equal thickness the entire length. As you work you should test 
the bow frequently to see that both ends bend evenly, and all the 
surface should be scraped with glass, rubbed smooth with fine 



128 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



sandpaper, and kept as smooth and even as possible. The bow 
should be flat on one side and slightly convex or rounded on the 
other, and the flat side should be the outward side when bow is 
bent (Fig. i). The exact size of the bow depends upon your own 
strength and judgment, but, as a rule, a bow drawing at from 
fifteen to thirty pounds is about right for boys' use. A short dis- 
tance from each end you should file or cut a smooth diagonal 
notch on each side and connect these by another groove across 
the flat side (Fig. 2). The bow should now be rubbed with linseed 
oil (being very careful not to put on too much or the spring will 
be lost), and then rubbed until polished with paraffine, bayberry 
wax, or similar polish. 

At the center of the bow a space about six inches long should be 
covered with soft leather or cloth glued in place and with the 
edges neatly sewed together on the back side of bow. This serves 




a-Winain^ of Threai 



as a grip for your hand and prevents slipping of the arrow (Fig. 3) . 
An excellent grip may be made by winding the bow with fine and 
strong waxed linen thread or by winding with adhesive bicycle 
tape. The string is noAV the next thing to make, and as bowstrings 
are often broken or frayed, the boy archer should provide himself 
with a number of extra strings. Catgut, sinew, and rawhide are 
all used as bowstrings, but I have found clear, unbleached flax 
or hemp the best material. To make a hemp or flax bowstring 
secure the best shoemakers' flax and some shoemakers' wax. 
Wax the thread thoroughly and wind it around two nails or pegs 
seven feet apart until you have fifteen or twenty strands (Fig. 4). 
Wax these and cut through the bunch of strands where they cross 
one of the pegs. Divide the strands into three equal parts and 
braid them loosely together. Now wind one end of the braided 
string with fine silk or linen thread thoroughly waxed. At the 
opposite end make a neat, smooth loop by winding the string 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 129 

where it goes around the peg, and then, removing it from the latter, 
wind the loop formed by the unbraided threads (Fig. 5). Now slip 
this loop over one end of your bow, draw the other end of string 
around notch in opposite end, and bend the bow carefully until 
the string stands out about six inches from the bow at its center 
(Fig. 3). Secure the string by a timber hitch (Fig. 6) around the 
other notch and wind a space of six or eight inches in the middle 
of the string with fine silk thread (Fig. 3). Loosen the string by 
slipping off the loop (so it slides down on the bow) (Fig. 2) and 
give all the windings a coat of quick-drying varnish or shellac. 

For arrows you may use either white pine, Oregon spruce, 
Norway pine, ash or hickory. For target use, pine arrows will 
do, but for hard use and hunting ash is the best material. Indians 




Cut Here 

Fitf._5^-«^«^ /Z^3^2=:^ 

sss^ms^^^^mmss^ (r^^C Timber 

^oopof OneEnd >^:^''''-^Hitch 

of Bowstrintf 



often use straight shoots of arrow wood (Viburnum) .and s-milar 
shrubs, but it is very difficult to obtain these perfectly straight. 
If you wish to try this sort of material you can make the shoots 
much straighter and better by hanging them up while green by 
one end with a heavy weight attached to the other and allowing 
them to dry thoroughly in this position. 

In making arrows from wood secure a block of perfectly straight- 
grained, well-seasoned pine or ash about twenty-four to twenty- 
eight inches long and split this in half; split each of these pieces 
in half again, and continue halving the pieces until the pieces are 
all split into straight sticks about half an inch to three-quarters 
of an inch square. Place these sticks on a smooth level board or 
bench and plane them straight, working around and around until 
the sticks are smooth, fairly round, and absolutely straight and true. 
9 



I30 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



Ti^.7 




Block for Sandpaper- 
ing the Arrow6 . 



When all your sticks are in this state, go over them with coarse 
and then fine sandpaper, and work at them until they are as round 
and smooth as possible. If you work the sandpaper with your 
hand or fingers your arrows will be very likely to have hollows in 
them, and to avoid this cut a half-round groove lengthwise of a 

block of soft wood and place your strip 
of sandpaper in this and use it like a 
plane (Fig. 7). 

The next step is to cut notches in 
the arrows. Examine each stick and 
determine which way the grain runs, 
and in the end toward which the grain 
runs cut a smooth notch one-quarter of an inch deep and wide 
enough to readily admit the wound, central part of the bow- 
string. A fine saw-notch, smoothed and widened with a fine file, 
is the best and easiest to make, but very good notches may be 
made with a small-bladed penknife (Fig. 8). 

To feather your arrows, secure a number of stiff wing feathers 
of some large bird, such as turkey, eagle, swan, goose, blue heron, 
gull, cormorant, pelican, or crane. Keep the feathers from each 
side of the bird by themselves, for if feathers from opposite sides 
are placed on one arrow you will 
obtain very poor results, owing to 
the different curves of the feathers. 
Strip the feathers or plumes, with 
a thin piece of the midrib attached, 
from the quill and cut tliese into 
pieces of even length and trim so that 
a short piece of the midrib projects 
at either end (Fig. 9). Now mark 
three lines on your arrows, spaced 
equal distances apart and so arranged 
that one comes opposite and at right angles to the notch, while 
the others are nearly parallel with it (Fig. 10). These lines should 
be drawn on with a ruler or straight edge, and if they all turn 
slightly at an angle or "twist" they will result in l^etter feathering, 
for these marks are to guide you in fastening on the feathers, and 
the feathers act like the grooves in a rifle barrel, causing the arrow 
to revolve in flight and thus travel straighter and more evenly, 



Fi($.8 Notch in Arrow 

i5 ^ 

v\(S Oi strip of Feather 



Fi<$.10 /'Endof 
^ N.^r|| Arrow 

Showing ) Position 
of Feathers ^ 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 131 

as well as to prevent its tendency to turn end over end or "key- 
hole." Your arrows being marked, glue the strips of feathers 
along the lines, keeping them straight "P ' //^ 1 1 

and true, and finish by winding or f Ig ♦ 1 J , 

lashing the projecting ends of midrib ^ -jt^ ^^ ^^^^-wp 
with fine waxed silk or linen thread ^S^^^t^^ ^ 

(Fig. 11). Indians use sinew to wind on Feathers Glucd 
the feathers, and there is no reason why ^ LaSflCd ^ 
you should not use similar material if 

you wish. Remember, however, that the materials used by sav- 
ages are due to necessity and not choice, and that the uncivilized 
man is only too anxious to adopt civilized materials whenever he 
can obtain them. Place your arrows in a cool, dry spot, and while 
the glue is thoroughly hardening you may prepare the tips, or 
heads, of your arrows. These may be made of hardened wood, 
brass, horn, stone, bone, or iron. For hunting purposes wooden 
heads, hardened by fire, will answer, but these soon become dull 
and their light weight has a tendency to cause erratic flight. 
Brass or steel ferrule heads may be purchased of sporting goods 
dealers at nominal cost, or may be made by any blacksmith or 
machine shop by drilling a hole in pieces of rod (Fig. 12, i). Bone 
makes very good heads, but is too brittle for everyday use. Horn 
makes good hunting points and is excellent for birds and small 
animals, although for birds blunt wooden or bone heads answer 
very well (Fig. 12, 2-3-4). ^^ certain districts — such as Ohio and 
Indiana — where stone arrow heads are found in large numbers, 
the boy archer may readily obtain excellent stone arrow heads 
for hunting use (Fig. 12,6). The best heads of all for hunting and 
general utility are made from thick hoop iron, or thin steel, and 
these can be cut up into any shape desired (Fig. 12, 5). Steel wire 
nails may also be used as arrow heads with good results (Fig. 12, 
7). Use your own taste and judgment as to material and shape of 
heads, and when you obtain good results, stick to your own style. 
The heads — if of ferrule pattern — are merely glued in place, but 
if made of horn, bone, stone, or sheet metal, should be inserted 
in a notch, glued in place, and the shaft wound tightly with very 
fine copper wire or strong thread. This lashing holds the head in 
place and prevents the arrow from splitting, and should be wound 
as evenly and tightly as possible and thoroughly waxed and var- 



132 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



nished. The last step in finishing your arrows is to varnish or 
paint them, and as bright colors render arrows more readily seen 
among brush or grass and serve to distinguish one boy's arrows 
from those of another, there is nothing better to use than quick- 
drying enamel paint. 

When the arrows are thoroughly dry you may go forth and try 
your new weapons, although before doing so I advise you to pre- 
pare a quiver and an arm guard. 



Fig. 12 Types of Arrovr Heads 




1 Ferrule Head 

2 & 3 Horn Heads 
4* Blunt Bone Head 
5 Sheet Iron Head 



6 
7 

8 



Stone Head 
Nail Head 
Iron 
Fish Head 



These may well be made while your arrows are drying, and, while 
not absolutely necessary, they are very useful. A bow case and 
quiver combined is easily made from leather or canvas and may 
be ornamented and fringed to suit your own fancy (Fig. 13). 
The bow case should be long enough to completely cover the bow 
and loose enough so that the bow may be readily and qitickly 
drawn when needed. The quiver should be a little shorter than 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



133 



the arrows and fairly stiff, and a study of the illustration will show 

you how to make it without any description (Fig. 14). The arm 

guard consists of a piece of flexible leather 

— an old boot leg does very well — laced or 

buckled on the arm which holds the bow, 

to protect the wrist from the bowstring 

(Fig. 15). You will also find gloves, with 

tips of fingers cut off, a great help, for the 

feathers of the arrow and the snap of the 

bowstring will soon chafe and cut your 

hand and fingers if you shoot very much. 

To use the bow with success you should 
stand with your heels in line with the tar- 
get, your left hand with bow extended 
toward the target, and at almost right 
angles to your feet. Place the arrow on the 
string and rest it across the bow and on 
and across your thumb and finger of the 
bow hand. Now hook your first three 
fingers of the right hand over the string 
with the notched end of arrow between the 
first and second fingers (Fig. 16). Raise 
your bow hand to the level of your chin 
and draw back on the string and arrow 
with your right elbow raised almost to 
your shoulder line and in line with the 
arrow (Fig. 17). Draw until the head of the arrow is almost 
to the bow and, glancing along the arrow until in line with the 

Fi^. 14 
A Simple (Quiver 




Bow Case 



& Quiver 
Combiried 




134 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



target, release the string by opening the crook of right fingers. 
Keep your left hand and bow fixed till the arrow strikes and 
watch the result. Doubtless your first few arrows will fly 
wide of the mark, but note whether they travel to right or 
left, above or below, and you will rapidly improve. Learn to 
draw your bow in exactly the same manner every time, and re- 



Fi^.15 





How to ^rip the 
Bowstrin^^. 



member to draw your right thumb to the same spot on your cheek 
at each shot. This will result in uniform shooting and failures 
may be more readily corrected. You will find that there is a most 
remarkable variation in the way your arrows act. Some will fly 
almost straight, others will swing and wabble, others will travel 




through a wide arc or curve, and still others will prove so erratic 
that they cannot be depended upon to shoot true. Discard the 
latter, if after trying trimming the feathers or fitting new heads 
they are still unsatisfactory. Every arrow (even though made 
exactly alike) has distinct individuality, and the successful bowman 
studies the peculiarities of each shaft until he knows instinctively 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 135 

just which arrow to select from his quiver for each and every pur- 
pose and condition. 

Some arrows travel best on windy days, others on calm days; 
some will shoot straightest against and others with the wind, and 
some are better for long than short shots, and vice versa. An 
expert arrow maker can fashion an arrow for a certain purpose 
and knows just how to trim and set the feathers and balance the 
head to develop the best possible results; but this knack can only 
be acquired by long and constant practice and experiment and 
cannot be described or taught. As a rule, the long, small-feathered 
arrow is best in the wind, while a large-feathered shaft is superior 
in calm weather, but much depends upon the size and weight of 
the head and the general balance of the arrow. 

In shooting at a mark use an old sack or similar object stuffed 
with hay, leaves, or straw; or place your mark on a hay stack. 
Unless you have arrows to waste, never shoot at a hard object, such 
as a tree, fence, barn, or post, for the impact will be almost sure 
to spring or split your arrows. 

Excellent practice may be obtained by setting up cardboard or 
cloth birds or animals backed with a sack of straw, for in this way 
you learn far more than by shooting at a conventional target of 
rings and bull's eye. You should commence shooting at a mark 
not over twenty or thirty yards distant and gradually increase 
the range as you become more skillful. When you can drive three 
out of five arrows into a paper deer at sixty yards you may con- 
sider yourself quite proficient and need not fear to try your hand 
at real game. You will find, however, that shooting among trees 
or brush is far harder than in the open, and for that reason I 
strongly advise you to practice in the woods a great deal, setting 
up your imitation game at various distances and under various 
conditions of light and shade. 

A very interesting and instructive game may be played by a 
number of boys traveling through the woods and dropping bits 
of paper or beans for a "trail," and setting up cardboard or cloth 
targets representing game in spots that the real game might select 
as resting places. The archers are to follow the "trail" exactly 
as if they were stalking real game, and as soon as they see the 
quarry are to shoot. This method may be varied by having the 
trail makers attach a string or rope to their targets, and as the 



136 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

archer draws to shoot they should endeavor to jerk the target out 
of sight before the arrow reaches it, thus more closely imitating 
the action of a wild animal. This will teach the bowmen to act 
more rapidly and surely and will develop far more skill in stalking 
and shooting than a fixed target. 

Running or jumping targets are easily designed and will prove 
most useful in perfecting your marksmanship, while the ambitious 
bowman will not be content until he has become an expert wing 
shot and can pierce a cloth ball or pasteboard box when thrown 
into the air at ten or a dozen yards. 



CHAPTER X 
Miscellaneous Things Handy for the Boy to Know 

ANIMAL CAGE 

Every boy has use for a small, secure cage in which to keep 
squirrel, rabbit, woodchuck, or other small creatures it has been 
his good fortune to capture. The one described below is easy to 

Fi&l 



ri&2. 




ANIMAL CAGE. 

make and will not let your captive escape. If you read the direc- 
tions slowly and picture each part in your mind as you go along 
you will find it easy to understand, for any minor point that might 
escape you will be made clear by a glance at the pictures. 

137 



138 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

Let us begin at the foundation. It is a large, circular piece of 
wood, one inch thick and about three feet in diameter. The disk 
in the center should be about eighteen inches in diameter. The 
way to lay it out is to tack your flat boards to the barn floor, then 
with the aid of a pencil and piece of string draw both circles. It 
is then easy to saw on the marks and cleat the short pieces that 
go to form the disk together. Cut the smaller disk the same way 
and nail it in the circle you have marked out. 

Now for the upright cage in the center of this base. It is cylin- 
drical in shape. For a frame use two or more barrel hoops and 
four upright pieces as in Fig. 2. When you have made this frame, 
cover it with poultry netting of fine mesh, leaving an open space 
at the bottom for a door. The roof is made by bending a piece of 
tin into the shape of a shallow funnel. In Fig. 4 "a" shows 
how to draft it out. 

Now for the cylindrical cage that lays on its side. One end is a 
solid wooden circle, the other end is open. The cage is made by 
running stiff lateral wires from one end to the other. The space 
between the wires should be about three-quarters of an inch. 
When you have it completed, lay the open end flush against the 
open space or door in the upright cage and get your measure for 
the wire by which it hangs in that position. The arrangement 
of this wire hanger is very clearly shown by the cuts. 

The theory of the cage is this: The animal in climbing up the 
wires of the flat cylinder will cause it to rotate and go forward, 
just like rolling a hoop. When the inside open end and the door 
are opposite each other he may pass into the central cage. It is 
great fun to watch the gjo-ations of the cage, and the animal will 
enjoy the exercise more than a little. 

A BIRD HOUSE 

The picture illustrates a neat and serviceable bird house. It 
is made of three shallow boxes set at angles upon each other. 
The size of the boxes depends upon your own taste. For ordinary 
purposes eighteen inches square and six inches deep is about right 
for each. In designing the house it was intended as a refuge for 
untamed birds and so as many compartments as possible were 
made. Each of the shallow boxes is divided into four spaces as 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



139 



shown in Fig. 2. The space "p" is where the post comes up through 
the center. The perches and openings are cut out with a small 
circle saw. The roof is of tin or galvanized iron. It is made of 
four triangles lapped over each other and riveted. Two coats of 
steel gray paint on the outside will add to the appearance of the 
house and make it weather resisting. 

It should be set upon a high post and made as inviting as possible 
for the feathered visitors. Remember that as man has encroached 
upon the domain of the wild creatures only three courses were 




A BIRD HOUSE. 



open to them : either to move to remoter regions, to adapt them- 
selves to modern conditions, or to die out altogether. The robin 
is one of the species that has made the best of things and tried 
to stay with us. It is interesting to study its habits, and this 
shelter will aid you in doing so. Here are some things to discover 
for yourself. Do the robins arrive from the South singly or in 
flocks? Do the sexes migrate together? How long after the ar- 
rival does nest building begin? What is their food? Is it the 
same in various months? All these and a dozen more lines of 
inquiry will make the shelter interesting. 



140 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



RABBIT TRAP 

This rabbit trap is about as simple as anything could be, and 
is highly praised by those who have tried it. It is a long box with 
one closed end. The other end is fitted with a door, which hangs 
like a curtain. It swings inward easily, and it is presumed that the 
animal to be trapped will push its way in, but it cannot swing 
outward, as the bottom strikes a cleat which prevents this. The 
scallops on the bottom of the door provide a means for the entrance 



ngi 



















A RABBIT TRAP. 



of air to the prisoner. The swinging door may be made of tin or 
wood. "X" is a piece of wire which runs through it and into 
the sides of the box. 



A CLEVER TRAP 

A simple and very effective trap for trapping squirrels and rats 
may be made as follows: Procure a square tin can, either a varnish 
can or one used to contain cocoa will do. Get a rectangular piece 
of tin to fit over the opening in the can and make six holes in it, as 
shown in Fig. 2. The two marked "a" are for the wire used to 
hinge it on to the can, the pair marked "b" are for rubber bands 
which will keep tension enough to slam the door shut when the 
bait is tampered with. Now you want a piece of stiff wire six 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



141 



inches long, and another bent into the shape of Fig. 4. This is the 
trigger, the lower end of which, ''%,'' contains the bait, "6." You 
can now use the wire as shown in the completed sketch to hold 
the cover up, over the rear end of which is hooked the trigger wire. 
Rubber bands, stretched quite tight, run from the middle of the 
cover to the back end of the can. Figure 4 shows clearly how the 




ANIMAL TRAP. 



trap is set. When the bait is touched the wire "^" is thrown off its 
slight hold on the cross-wire that runs through the rear, and the 
spring of the rubber bands snaps the door shut. 



WATER WHISTLE 

If you have a summer cottage or live permanently near the 
water you will want this water whistle. It is simple and easy to 
make and demonstrates a scientific principle. Procure a large 
can with a conical top and cut off the bottom. In the open- 



142 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



ing at the top of tlie can fit a cork or a wooden plug. A cork 
is the better because the plan requires an air-tight fit. When 
you have accomplished this, remove the plug and bore a hole 
through its center. This can be done with the small blade of 
your pocketknife. When the hole is bored the cork is cut in 
two horizontally. The cut ends are scooped out in concave form 




A WATER WHISTLE. 



SO as to snugly contain a small tin whistle of the type shown 
by "c." Place this whistle on top of the lower half of the cork 
and place the latter in the neck of the can. Wedge it down 
air-tight and then place "a," the top part of the cork, on it, also 
making it fit snugly. We now fasten the can to a post near the 
edge of the water by wiring it on in the manner shown. I might 
add that it is not necessary to place the post near the edge of the 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 143 

water, the only requirement is that the can be about half sub- 
merged in normal weather. WTien the tide rises or when the water 
is rough and the waves wash about, the whistle will emit regular 
blasts. It works on this principle: You know that it takes a 
blast of air to make a whistle sound. It is the action of the air 
passing through the hole that causes the vibration which results in 
the shrill noise. Now if the whistle was in yoiu mouth it would 
be easy enough to blow or suck in as you chose. In this case the 
top half of the can is filled with air, and when the waves wash in 
the bottom of the can this air is suddenly compressed to about 
half its former size. The only escape is through the whistle in the 
cork, and, of course, the sound results. It will be good fun to rig 
it up near the cottage, and when the day is storm}' you will be 
warned and will also be able to note the quieting of the waves 
without going out to see. 

A TREE TENT 

You have heard of tree houses and you have heard of tents, 
but it is doubtful if you ever saw the two ideas combined as in 
this sketch. In building the platform upon which the tent is to be 
erected too many braces cannot be used. If you intend it to suj>- 
port the weight of two or three boys, build it strong enough to 
bear up a dozen. In beginning the framework follow Fig. 2 as 
closely as possible, and add long and short braces wherever they 
wiU fit. The piece that is nailed to the tree is a short length of 
two-inch plank; all the others are 2 x 4" scantling. For the floor 
of the platform one-inch pine should be used. The tent is put up 
by passing a line under the highest point and tying it to the tree 
at each end. In other words, it is hung like a sheet on a clothesline. 
Then the bottom is stretched out and secured to the wooden base 
with spikes and short lines. This plan eliminates supporting poles 
and guy ropes, and affords just as much shelter as it is possible to 
get from a tent of this size. It is great sport to camp out in this 
tree house diuing the hot weather, and, according to the fresh air 
agitation, it wouldn't be a bad place to bunk all the j-ear round. 
If you are interested in bird study 5-ou will no doubt find it an 
advantageous place from which to obser\-e the feathered creatures 
and to get short-range snap shots of them. The tent is reached by 



144 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



means of a rope ladder which is drawn up after you ascend. It 
is said that all mankind dwelt in trees at one time. Let us go back 




A TRKE TENT. 



to nature for a short visit, but use caution and common sense, for 
we may not be able to stand a fall like some of our Darwinian 
ancestors. 

A WAVE MOTOR SIGNAL 

There are many uses a wave motor signal can be put to by boys 
who live near the water. It will be fun to construct one, and you 
will find all sorts of uses for it after it is done. 

First drive the two posts into the bottom or weight them suffi- 
ciently to make them maintain an upright position. At the top 
of the posts bore a hole right through both and insert a long bolt 
through them and through the arm (3 x i x 18") that is to be 
between them. You will also have to use a block on each side of 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



145 



this arm, as the picture shows. Now nail on the piece "X" and 
another one hke it, only not so long, underneath. 

The buoy or float is a hollow box or cask, suspended by the piece 
"C" from "X." Strips nailed to the heavy posts, near the water's 
surface, will keep the float from straying. Now on the land you 
sink another post, "G," and fit to it the rocking arrangement, "Y," 
which is in every respect like the one we have just explained. 
From the point or extreme left end of this rocker a line leads to 
the back of the sailorman, "A." 




WAVE MOTOR SIGNAL. 

The sailor is cut out of thin wood. The only parts that move 
are the arms, which rise and fall as they are actuated by the line. 
In Fig. 2 you see the back of the sailor. "J" is the line which is 
attached to the arms. The other parts are simply to keep the line 
in place. 

It is great fun to build this signal device and watch it work. 
At night you can put a light in the sailor's hand instead of the flag, 
and if you live near a foggy or treacherous coast it may be of some 
real service to some one in distress. 



10 



146 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



AUTOMATIC WATERER 

Everyone knows that the worst thing about gardening is the fact 
that you have to sprinkle each evening. Now, a certain boy had 
a bed of celery plants in the customary trenches and he decided 
to do away with some of the labor of tending them. He set a large 
water-tight barrel on a platform beside the last trench and bored 
a hole near the base. In this hole he screwed a gas-pipe and made 
the joint tight by means of lock-nuts. The long pipe had been 







FIG5L 



Cc^ "<^-^- 



FIG 4 



^ 



^ 



AUTOMATIC WATERER. 



bored at the blacksmith shop to receive valves as in Fig. 2. In- 
stead of boring in this manner he could have used tees, and in 
that case he would have been able to do the work himself. The 
end of the pipe is closed. 

To water one row of plants all you have to do is to open the 
valve, but the bed must have slope enough to conduct the water 
to the far end. One or more trenches can be flooded without 
interfering with the others. If convenient you could place your 
barrel where the rain from the shed roof could be conducted 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



147 



into it, otherwise you will have to keep it full by hauling 
water. 

The waterer works well and will prove a convenience to the 
young gardener. 

A WINDMILL 

The picture herewith shows a neat and practical windmill made 
altogether of tin. You can get ample material for it from grocery 
cans. To begin with, make a wooden frame of three pieces of 
one-inch pine, the top part having a hole bored through the center. 
Between the side pieces, near the base of the frame, a piece of sheet 




A WINDMILL. 

metal is stretched across and fastened permanently with nails. 
Note "C" in Fig. 3. The next part is the upright post "D," which 
has a nail "B" driven in the point. The purpose of the nail resting 
on the tin is to reduce friction and permit the post to turn easily. 
If you understand that thoroughly the remainder of the plan will 
come easy. Observe also the hole in the center of the post. 

Our next step is to tack the two tin strips "A" to the center post. 
They are used to form a support for the rest of the windmill. 
We will now drop into the hole in the post a short wire with a loop 
or eye at the top. It should be one inch shorter than the hole. 
You notice that the crank shaft is bent like a crank in the middle. 



148 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



and that the bent part passes through the eye in the wire we have 
dropped into the hole in the post. When the mill turns the straight 
wire will move up and down. This is to illustrate to you how wind 
power may be used to operate a pump. 

Now on the right side we have the tail piece which keeps the 
fans properly in the wind. It is fastened with wire. On the left 
side we have the wheel itself. On a flat piece of tin draw the dia- 
gram marked Fig. 2. Cut the radial line with a shears to within 
one inch of the center, then bend the blades to an angle of 45 
degrees. The two holes in the center of the tin disk are to permit 
the wire to be bent back and fastened. You will have to exercise 
patience in order to get a neat job. 

A TIN WINDMILL 

The windmill is the first attempt of man to harness the forces 
of nature. Perhaps that is why interest in the subject never flags. 




A TIN WINDMILL. 



Every man and boy has at some time or other made a windmill. 
In fact, from my own immediate neighborhood to the farthest 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 149 

point I have ever been, evidence of boyish attempts to set a wheel 
spinning by the force of air currents is visible. The trouble is, they 
all follow in the same old rut. Here is a neat, speedy model, old 
in principle, but new in treatment. First comes the upright post. 
A good sound broom handle is just the thing. The wheel is made 
of one piece of tin. We show it here ten inches in diameter, but 
you can make it as much larger as you wish. Mark it carefully as 
shown in Fig. 2. Cut on the heavy lines and bend back on the 
dotted lines. A light stick runs across the top. Punch a hole in 
the center of the tin disk and through it nail the same to the cross 
stick. Touching the tin at each side is a bead used for a bearing. 
The nail must, of course, pass through the beads. The nail which 
is the shaft by means of which the horizontal shaft turns upon the 
upright post is also arranged in the same manner. This most im- 
portant point is made very clear by the detail sketch Fig. 3. "X" 
and "Y" are the beads; the dotted line is the nail. The tail piece 
is fitted in by first making a saw cut in the cross stick. It is then 
tacked in place. If carefully made the model is very light and 
neat. 

A MODEL LIFT BRIDGE 

Boys of a mechanical turn of mind are always constructing 
models of one kind or another, and it is to such apparently foolish 
play that we are indebted for all our modern marvels of machinery. 
The lift bridge shown here is quite a modern idea and has proved 
very efficient for small streams. 

And now for our bridge. The floor and trestle may be made from 
cigar box wood except the heavy block which is at the left end. 
In order to curve the pieces used as rockers soak them in boiling 
water for a while. Figure 3 shows the device used for keeping the 
span from sliding back. It is simply a piece of tin with a hole in 
it shaped like the arc of a circle. A wire post bent over at the top 
fits into this arc and keeps the bridge firm. You can raise the 
bridge with your hand or use the line and pulley shown in our cut. 
On the block which supports the heavy end of the bridge erect a 
small post and fix to it a pulley made of a silk spool with a wire 
axle. The cord passes over the spool pulley and is tied to a hook 
at the top of the bridge. The trick is to balance the span so nicely 
that only a slight impulse is necessary to move it. After the model 



I50 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



is in working order the block at the left may be made lighter by- 
boring holes in it, and heavier by filling them with lead. Remem- 
ber the line is only used to bring the bridge back to its natural 




7T^, 



A MODEL UFT BRIDGE- 



position, and when the tension is removed it will tilt up of its own 
accord. For this reason it is probable that you will have to weight 
the block as suggested. 



A BEAN BLOWER 

Here is a toy weapon with which boys are well acquainted. It 
is an improvement on the old-fashioned bean shooter, having a 
magazine section which holds ammunition in reserve. It is prob- 
able that the majority of readers will readily understand the plan 
at a glance. 

In the first place you get a common spool, "A," and drill a slant 
hole from the outside to the center bore. Into this you insert the 
magazine tube, "C," it being simply a three inch length of the ordi- 
nary bean shooter. In order to make an air-tight fit cover the 
end that enters the spool with a tissue-paper collar or a wrapping 



THE OUTDOOR BOY AT HOME 



151 



thread, "6." The other parts of the tube, "D" and "E," must 
also have this wrapping. The section shows how the magazine 




A BEAN BLOWER. 

works. The peas it contains will drop into the horizontal tube 
as rapidly as the ones before them are expelled from it. 

A HALLOWE'EN GHOST 

Here is a Hallowe'en toy that will provide plenty of amusement 
for yourself and friends. It is intended for big and little boys and, 
in fact, the older members of the family too, for they will enjoy its 
queer gyrations quite as much as the youngsters. 

It is a moving toy, that is, the wheel inside turns and alternately 
blots out one eye and then the other. This gives the face a ghostly 
winking appearance that will scare the natives up your way or at 
least set them trying to figure out how the thing works. 

The material needed — a tin can, piece of cardboard, a cork, and 
some wire — may be found almost anyivhere. First mark the face 
with lead pencil on the can or pail, and cut it out by punching 
holes with nails and trimming with old scissors. In the cover 
or lid punch eight or ten holes to permit the escape of smoke and 
heat from the candles. Next get the large piece of cardboard 
and lay it flat on the table. Place the can upon it and mark a 
circle around its lower rim. With a ruler then divide the circle into 



152 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



eight sections, as shown in Fig. 3. Now cut it out with scissors, 
being careful to make it small enough to fit inside the can and 
also to leave on each side an overhanging strip marked shutter, 
in Fig. 3. The heavy black lines that divide it into sections are 
cut from the outside edge to within one inch from the center. 
The shutters are then bent down and the blades are bent to an 

angle of 45 degrees, which 
r'lij i means halfway between 

being flat and upright. 

Glue a flat piece of cork 
about the size of three 
nickels laid on top of each 
other to the center of the 
paper disk on top and a 
similar one directly under 
it. Now plunge a straight, 
stiff piece of wire through 
the center of cork and 
paper as shown in Fig. 2. 
You can now place the 
candles in the pail and 
then the wheel and wire. 
At the point "Z" in Fig. 4, 
where the lower end of the 
wire rests, you may make 
a small dent with a nail so 
that the end of the wire 
will not slip out of place. 
At the point "W" the top 
end of the wire passes up 
through the cover of the 
pail. The candles may be 
lighted by inserting the 
match through the mouth part. The hot air arising from them 
will cause the paper wheel to turn and the eyes will be alternately 
stoppered by the hanging shutter strips. The handle for cany- 
ing the toy is amply described by the pictures and needs no 
comment. One hour is a generous estimate of the time required 
to make it and if carefully fitted and adjusted it will last a lifetime. 




A HALLOWE'EN GHOST. 



PART IV 
THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 



CHAPTER I 

How to BuUd an Ice Boat 

What boy living near a river or lake has not longed in winter 
to own an ice boat? Such a craft is neither expensive nor hard to 
make. Here are provided directions for building and rigging an 
ice yacht which, if followed, will give you a craft that will be the 
envy of all your friends. 

You can get a clear idea of the general makeup of an ice boat 
by studying the top view drawing, which is marked Fig. i. The 
main parts are the long timber used as a keel or backbone, the 
cross-timber, and the runners. The backbone is a piece of white 
pine twenty-five feet long. It is ten inches deep or high in the 
center and tapers to three inches at both ends. Its thickness is 
four inches. It should be a firm, sound piece of timber, well 
seasoned and free from defects. The runner plank, two inches in 
thickness, is twelve inches wide in the center and ten inches at 
each end. It passes under the keel and is fastened to same by 
three "U"-shaped bolts, one of which is clearly shown in Fig. 13. 
These bolts fit down over the keel like a staple, their ends pass 
through the runner plank, and, being threaded, are bolted under- 
neath same. This is the first bit of assembling we will do, and it 
will make the thing look so much like a real ice boat that we should 
feel encouraged. 

The runners come next. They may be made in various ways, 
but for a boat of the class we are considering only the very best 
and strongest construction will do. The dimension and shape of 
the runner used is well shown in Fig. 4. The material used is 

153 



154 



THE BOYS' WORKvSHOP 



staunch, hard wood, preferably oak or maple. The cast iron or 
steel runner shoe is fastened on by five bolts which pass through 
the depth of the runner and then into tapped holes in the runner 
shoe. A sectional view of this is shown in Fig. 5. Note the shape 
of the running surface of the shoe and the depth that the bolt 
sinks into it. Figure 6 shows in detail how the wooden runner 
is secured to the runner plank. "A" is a bracket-shaped block 
screwed to the under side of the runner plank near the end. "B" is 




AN ICE BOAT. 



a piece of scantling with rounded ends, as seen in the central part 
of Fig. 4, and bolted to the bracket. "C" is the runner which fits 
between two scantlings like "B." In putting the runner plank into 
its permanent position and also in bolting on the runners it is 
very necessary that accurate right angles be used. To maintain 
this true position, wire stays or braces are used. Certain metal 
fittings are used to aid in making a neat job of the wire work. 
Two spreaders, like Fig. 11, are used under the runner plank, one 
near each end. The double end is screwed to the under side of 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 



155 



the runner plank and the notch in the single end used to guide the 
wire. On each side of the keel near the rear end is a fitting like 
Fig. 12, used to fasten the ends of the wire. Figure 15 is a picture 
of the device used at the fore end of the keel. 

In Fig. 8 we have a good detail picture of the runner construc- 
tion, which I think will answer any question concerning same that 















PLAN FOR ICE BOAT. 

may arise. Figure 7 is designed to show the steering apparatus. 
Figure 10 is the helm or handle, by means of which the rear runner, 
which acts as a rudder, is operated. A front view of the bolt used 
as a post and the manner in which it is made fast to the runner is 
shown by Fig. 9. Figure 17 is a fitting for shortening ropes or 
wires used in various places in the rigging. Figure 14 is a view 



156 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



of the under side of the decking which is at the rear end of the 
yacht, as indicated in the top view drawing Fig. i. It consists 
of hard wood flooring, bound at the outside edges and supported 
by metal brackets. 

Turning to the next group of sketches, we will consider the 
rigging. Hardly two people will agree as to the right way to rig 
any kind of boat, and the more experience they have the less chance 
is there for an amicable settlement of the so-called fine points of 

the game. I have adapted 
in this plan the ideas of an 
expert who has been an 
ice-boat enthusiast for 
many years, and who has 
rigged dozens of racers. 
Figure i8 shows a com- 
plete layout of the sail 
plan far more graphically 
than words could picture 
it. If you know any- 
thing about ice boats, 
you can grasp the idea 
illustrated. The detail 
sketches scattered around 
have the following signifi- 
cation: Fig. 15 is the fit- 
ting used at the point of 
contact between the gaff 
and mast. The mast is the 
large upright timber and 
the gaff is the small round 
timber marked seven feet 
ten inches long in the sail plan drawing Fig. 18. This fitting and 
nearly all the others mentioned will have to be secured at a store 
that makes a specialty of outfitting yachts. Wherever there is 
any considerable amount of the sport, such a store can be found. 
Figure 22, in the language of an amateur, is the end of a sail rope 
fastened to a cleat. The iron fitting used at the end is shown. 
Figure 20 is the cleat which permits the boom to swing around the 
mast. Figure 21 is a simple pulley block. Figure 23 is a detail 







PLAN FOR ICE BOAT. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 157 

sketch of the rigging at the top of the sails. It may be closely 
followed. Figure 25 is the base of the mast and shows how it is 
held firmly in place. "B" is an iron band or ferrule to keep it from 
splitting. "A" is the squared end which fits into the square hole. 
"C" is a metal plate placed around the hole to prevent wear. 
Figure 24 is the fore end of the keel with its fitting for the wire. 
Figure 26 is one kind of rope cleat generally preferred by ice sailors. 

The size of the spars is shown in the drawing. I imagine that 
these will offer greater difficulties to the amateur than any other 
part. It is quite hard to procure them in some sections of the 
country, and then again they must be such perfect pieces of timber 
that great care in selection is necessary. I always like tough, 
straight-grained hickory for rigging. Each stick is thickest in 
the center, the mast being four and one-half inches in the center 
and about three inches at the ends. The boom is about the same. 
The gaff and jib boom are about three inches in the center and 
taper each way to two inches or a little more. Several coats of 
the best spar varnish must be applied before the sticks are set up. 

In the selection of canvas use the strongest, as it will no doubt 
prove to be the least expensive in the end. The advice of local 
men who know special conditions attending their territory is 
always helpful to the amateur. With the ideas gained from this 
article you can make an ice boat of a simpler and cheaper kind, 
but the one given here is for hard and continuous use. You can- 
not well reduce it in size unless the whole plan is changed. 

Finish all wooden parts with varnish. Three or four coats may 
be applied with good returns. The first will be thinned one- 
quarter with the best turpentine. After that the subsequent coats 
must be thin, but not watery. Thorough drying between each 
coat is essential. Some people like to put linseed oil on wood for 
a first coat and then add paint or varnish. I have no objection 
to this method, and think that there may be parts of the country 
where it has some advantage over others. Again the advice of 
experienced local men will be of value to you. 



CHAPTER II 
All Sorts of Sleds 

A DOUBLE RUNNER 

You will have to go a long way to find a better plan for a coaster 
than the one shown here. If you live where the snow flies and have 
any good hills close by, you should get your crowd together and 
decide to make this fine winter article. 

Let us consider it just as you would a house, that is, begin at 
the foundation and keep in mind only one thing at a time. In 
this case the foundation is the two sleds which form the double 
runners. They may be purchased or made. It is probable that 
two of the gang can furnish those sleds. If you can only get one, 
make the other just like it. The sizes of the parts are given in 
the drawings. 

The blocks placed on each sled to support the long plank are 
really the most important part of the work. Figures 3 and 4 are 
complete pictures of the rear and fore ends respectively. The 
main part of Fig. 3 is the four curved blocks. They are nine inches 
high and twelve inches long and are sawed out of sound two-inch 
plank. Cut the curves wi^Ji a circle saw and finish with a draw- 
knife and sandpaper. Between the flat or straight ends of each 
pair is a square two -inch block of the same material. The curved 
pieces are securely bolted to it. In Fig. 3, "J," "K," "L," and 
"M" are the curved pieces, and "O" and "P" are the square 
blocks referred to. A one-inch hole is bored three inches below 
the center of the curved side in each, and through the hole is 
put a strong bolt. The whole arrangement as shown in Fig. 3 
is bolted to the rear sled. The idea behind it is to permit the 
rocking of the plank. 

The blocking for the fore' sled is simpler, but no less important. 
All pieces are of two-inch plank. The lowest one or base is eight 
inches square, the one on that is two inches wide and eight inches 

158 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 



159 



long. Those are marked "D" and "C." The third one, "B," is the 
same size as "C," but is tapered at the ends. The last one, "A," 




A DOUBLE RUNNER. 



is a square block like "D." "E" is the large king bolt which fits 
through all, permitting the coaster to turn. 



i6o THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

We will now get a sound plank twelve feet six inches long and 
cut it to the shape shown. Seven handholds like Fig. 5 are 
screwed on, being spaced about as shown. We must now get from 
a blacksmith four pieces of quarter-inch wrought-iron straps as 
pictured in Fig. 9. The long, narrow running boards are bolted 
to the short bends, while the top of the iron itself is bolted to the 
under side of the platform plank. 

We now take up the idea for a brake pictured by Figs. 6, 7, and 
8. You may omit those from the plan if you wish, but they are 
worth a trial. The brake consists of a chain with lever to release 
it, so it will fall in front of rear sled. All of the parts are screwed 
to the under side of the big plank. Figure 8 is the rearmost cleat over 
the center of the sled. "D" is a wire running to the cleat "B." 
The chain is fastened to the plank and the loop end hangs on "A," 
which is shown in detail by Fig. 7. "C" is a spring to give tension. 
When the lever Fig. 8 is pushed, by reason of the wire connecting 
it to "A," the latter is moved enough to let the chain fall. It will get 
under the rear runner and cause it to stop. 

The painting is important both for service and looks. Use a 
bright red color and have some handy lad letter on a name or 
neat design. The cost and material needed depends on the locality 
and the amount of available stuff you can find around home. 

A BOB-SI.ED 

In coasting, you have no doubt felt that sometimes the bob 
was too long for the few that were there to ride, and at other times 
it was too short for the gang that wanted a chance at every trip. 
The sled shown in this sketch may be made longer or shorter as 
you desire. The device by which this is accomplished is simple 
and easy to make. Figure 2 shows it clearly. The 3x3" pieces "6" 
slide between pieces of the same size "a," and are locked by a peg 
which fits through holes bored in both. Figure 4 is a detail sketch 
of this locking peg and the slide joint. You may have two or three 
extra pieces of plank to fit into the space provided by this length- 
ening device. The extra lengths have dowels in the ends like a 
table leaf in an extension table. Figure 5 will leave no doubt as 
to what is meant by dowels and holes. The other parts of the bob- 
sled are quite as simple as it is possible to make them. Figure 2 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 



i6i 



is a view of the under side and shows every part. Notice the hole 
marked "C." A one-inch bolt fits into this and through the hole in 
the fore sled (Fig. 3). The head of the bolt is on the top of the fore 
end of the plank and the nut is under the front sled. The rear 
sled is screwed securely from its under side to the large blocks "d.'* 




fi^S. 



A BOB-SLED. 



The steersman sits in front and holds the rope. With it and the 
footrest he is enabled to steer or hold a straight course. There is 
not much decoration possible in this sled. It is built for sturdy 
service and convenience. However, it must be painted, and you 
may as well adopt the flaming red and do a little striping if you can. 
Use two coats of paint and one of varnish. 
11 



l62 



THE. BOYS', WORKSHOP 
THE SINGLE RUNNER 



The single runner sled, of the type shown herewith, is fast win- 
ning favor among the boys of our Northern States. It is ridden 
something after the manner of a bicycle, and when once it gets 
fairly in motion it is quite easy to maintain your balance and steer. 

Select for the runner a piece of pine thirty-six inches long, four 
inches wide, and one inch thick. Plane the board smooth and with 




/ FIG.4 

THE SINGI.E RUNNER. 

the aid of a coping saw round off the fore ends. Then saw off the 
rear end of the runners at an angle, as shown in Fig. i. For the 
upright post procure a piece of pine fourteen inches long, eight 
inches wide, and one inch thick. The end of the post which is to be 
fastened to the runner should be cut as in Fig. i. Now take two 
strips of wood two inches wide, sixteen inches long, and one inch 
thick, and fasten them with screws to each side of the upright post. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 163 

Note in the illustrations that they extend down below the post two 
inches and lap on to the runner, one on each side. 

The seat is a pine block 8 x 12" and preferably more than one 
inch thick. It is screwed to the post and strips and to two blocks, 
"C" in Fig. 2, which add strength and rigidity to the whole 
structure. 

For an extra good job, you must reinforce the sliding surface 
of the runners with strips or shoes of steel. In putting them on, 
be sure to countersink the screw heads, that means to make them 
flush or even with the surface of the runner. If they stick up, even 
a little bit, they will retard the sled and dig into the snow or ice. 
A couple of coats of paint will give the sled a better appearance 
if it happens that you have used old pieces, and even if you have 
all new lumber it is necessary to make it last longer and keep from 
warping. 

THE STRADDLE-BUG 

Here is something for you and your friends to work on and 
enjoy together. It is called a straddle-bug, and few kinds of sleds 
can give as much genuine amusement and fun as this. You will 
note by the dimensions given that it is large and rather heavy. 
While there are very few pieces and consequently few joints, it is 
so designed that it is self -braced in every direction, and if properly 
put together will stand the roughest kind of usage. 

The work of making it is so simple and the accompanying cuts 
so plain that there is really little to be said; but for the benefit 
of those who find it difficult to follow the drawings it will be 
made clearer: First get two long hickory poles for the runners 
or, if this is impossible, common scantling will do. Length, eight 
feet four inches. Saw notches in them front and rear to receive 
the slanting braces or legs as shown in Fig. i . The braces are made 
of two pieces of scantling each three feet in length, ripsawed in 
the center. Lay the runners on the ground with a space of thirty 
inches between them, insert the braces in the notches you have cut, 
and tack them temporarily with wire nails. Now you can lay the 
heavy plank on the top and mark the exact places that the notches 
have to be cut in it. Saw those four notches to the required 
shape and depth and return the top plank to its place. It may 
now be screwed on with heavy two-inch wood screws, driven in a 



164 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



slanting direction. Always bore a hole before trying to drive a 
screw into hard wood, making the hole as large in diameter as the 
thickest part of the screw shank. Dip the screws in lard before 
inserting them. Our next task is to bend the ends of the runners 
up so they will touch the front end of the top plank. They should 
be tapered nicely to a point and soaked in water a couple of days 
before attempting to bend them. The ends fit into notches and 
are fastened with screws. The two long center braces serve to 
strengthen the sleigh and are also used as a step to get on. They 
are notched and made fast with screws as in the case of the other 




TlOf 1. BETWIEN RUNNERS ■ 

THE STRADDLE-BUG. 

parts. The front tongue or handle is the only part now to be con- 
sidered. It is five feet six inches long and two inches square. 
The rear end may be broadened out as shown in the drawing 
marked "tongue." Fasten two iron straps to this broad end and 
pivot them to the large block which is nailed to the front end of 
the sleigh. The cross-bars of the handle explain themselves. 
Give the whole affair two coats of bright red paint, and when it 
has dried you are ready for the best time of your life. With a 
slight variation of the tongue, using two poles instead of one, you 
may hitch a horse or pony to the sled. Take it out on the ice, on 
the coasting hill, or country road and you will find it a winner. 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 



165 



A WAR SIvED 

Here is a war engine with which you can attack a snow fort. 
It consists of a large double-decked staging mounted on four sleds. 
If the blockliouse is built on the ice and you have one of those 




¥IG1. 



FIG.a. 



,^^ 




A WAR SLED. 



i66 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



juggernauts manned by a few dozen stalwart warriors, there is 
bound to be some fun and I would like to be close by to see the 
proceedings. The lads on the top deck hurl snowballs as they 
proceed and have every chance to scale the wall, although, it is 
true, they must stand the brunt of the fire from the fort's "guns." 
The general dimensions of the pieces used in the construction 
of the car are shown in the diagrams underneath the picture. 
The first part of the work is to make a frame of planks and place 
a sled under each corner. Next erect the corner posts and the 
braces which hold them together. The top deck is then added 
and you are ready for action. There is nothing wrong about those 
imitations of ancient war articles ; but undue roughness should not 
be indulged in. The lad who is ruffianly is generally that way 
wherever he gets the chance, whether it is in the parlor or on the 
playground. Treat your neighbor squarely, not because he is a 
gentleman, but because you are one. 



A WINTER FUN MAKER 

Here's a funny sled for you to make. Get a saw horse and a 
couple of long pliable poles. If you can get a sapling and split it, 

you will have ideal runners 
for this cold weather dog- 
mobile. Set the horse 
upon the split poles with 
the flat side up and screw 
them firmly in place. If 
they are long enough to 
reach to the animal's 
muzzle so much the better, 
if not, you can tie on 
pieces of rope. You will 
certainly make a hit with 
this kind of sled, and it 
will be no hardship on the 
dog either, for you can 
You might use a pony for 
At any rate, the 




A WINTER FUN MAKER. 



help by kicking back on the ground 

motive power or have a couple of friends pull you. 

plan promises some hilarious fun and you ought to get busy on it 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 



167 



WINTER MERRY-GO-ROUND 

Here is a cold weather fun maker copied from the Russian 
peasant's "gig." It can be used on a shallow pond or in a level 
field where the snow is beaten down hard. The first thing to do 
is to sink a post three feet into the ground. Tramp the dirt thor- 
oughly and make the post firm. In the top of it bore a one-inch 
hole to a depth of at least eight inches. For the cross-piece at 
the top use the longest, toughest pole you can get. The longer it is, 
the more fun you will have, for each foot of length means over 
three feet in the circle. Nail a block on the under side for a bearing 



Fig/ 




WINTER MERRY-GO-ROUND. 



and bore a hole big enough for the bolt to pass through. Grease 
the hole well with lard or axle grease. The hole should be two feet 
from the hand end and about twelve feet from the sled end. 
Hitch the sled to the long end and let some one push the gig 
around. At first it will be hard sledding, but after you get going 
the momentum will carry you round at a dizzy rate. There is 
practically no expense incurred in making one of these whirligigs 
and no danger attends its proper use. As a rip-roaring good joy 
creator I recommend it. 



i68 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



TUNNEL 

Here is a pretty little stunt for a snow-slide. The idea is to 
build tunnels of snow by first placing a large box right in the path 
of the down-hill slide, and then covering it with snow. This should 
be done when the snow is rather soft and wet. The next morning, 
when it has frozen and become firmly set, you can draw out the 




FI6.t 







THE TUNNEL. 



box, and if you have not piled too much snow on top, the arch will 
remain standing. If you have boxes enough you can leave them 
in, but that will make the dash through the tunnel more dangerous. 
Did you ever try a common barrel stave for a toboggan? Just 
get a wide, thick stave and sit on it, and if there is any down grade 
you will travel. Another stunt is to strap a stave to each foot and 
try to go down hill standing up. 



CHAPTER III 

Winter Sport in the Backyard 

You will certainly not lack a means of enjoyment during the 
Christmas vacation if you convert the backyard into an amuse- 
ment park in accordance with the directions given herewith. 
After you have read and comprehended the plan call a few of your 
friends in for consultation and decide whose yard you are going 
to use. The one that afifords the most space should be selected. 







WmTER SPORT IN THE BACKYARD. 



City lots are usually thirty feet or thereabout in width, and as for 
length, you will be lucky if you find fifty feet unoccupied. Get 
busy and level off an oval space of these dimensions, banking up 
dirt and snow to form a saucer track four feet wide and three feet 
high at the outside. This must be carefully packed and frozen, 
so that the water with which the enclosure is to be flooded will not 
seep through. It is best to have the saucer track made and tested 

169 



lyo 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



before you do the flooding. Select a cold night and sprinkle water 
on the track, besides filling the pond to a depth of three inches. 
The second part of our plan is a toboggan made on a new prin- 
ciple. Instead of coasting down a hill we roll down a rope runway. 
This simple device is shown in the complete drawing. The only 
part not visible there is the high post to which the other end of the 
rope is attached. Let us first consider the runway apart from the 
rest of the plan. It consists of three parts, the first a heavy wooden 



^^u^^ 



Fig. I 




'an 




PLAN FOR TOBOGGAN. 



frame, the second a post, the third a rope which connects the two. 
The frame is made of 4 x 4" timbers, joined as shown in Fig. 2. 
When finished they extend four feet over ground, and are deeply 
enough imbedded in the soil to make a firm support. A good plan 
is to nail braces to the lower end of each post, as shown in Fig. 3, 
and sink same into the ground. Understand it rightly, all the 
parts shown in Fig. 3 are underground. When dirt or concrete 
is packed upon the extending braces it holds the upright post 
firm as a tree is supported by its roots. The single high post is 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 171 

treated in the same way. It should be twelve or fifteen feet back 
of the arch and high enough to give a fall of two inches to the foot. 
Heavy wire cable is used for the runway. The carriage is clearly 
shown in Fig. i. It should be a little longer than a common sled. 
The top part is a sound piece of scantling suspended by the pulleys 
"a." At each end a one-inch hole is bored in this piece, through 
which pass cable to support the underpieces "c." The flat 
strongly built platform "d" is the part upon which the sled is 
placed when ready for a slide down. The fore end is the pulley "a," 
the rear is the cross-piece "d." Here is the way the skidder is 
used: One boy holds the guy rope which is attached to the rear 
part of the carriage, while another places his sled upon it and 
mounts the same. His position is face down with feet hooked over 
the rear of the carriage to hold himself on. At a signal the guy 
rope is released and down slides the sled. When it gets near the 
end the boy raises his feet, the pulleys bump the cross-piece of 
the heavy arch, and he is projected forth at some speed. If he has 
his wits about him and steers right he will circle the track once or 
twice before he comes to a full stop. 



CHAPTER IV 
The Boy Skater 

SHARPENING SKATES 

Few boys understand the art of sharpening skates. Most of 
you will grasp the file and rub across the runner, thereby making 
the getting of a true bevel most difficult if not impossible. The 
right way to go about it is to secure the skate firm and rigid in a 
vise, grasp the file with both hands as shown in Fig. 2, and draw 
it up and down the full length of the runner at each stroke. Re- 
member the file is held at right angles to the skate, but it is not 
pushed crosswise ; it is drawn lengthwise as if you were paring with 
a draw-knife. If you have no vise you may fasten the skate to a 
bench with staples as shown in "A," Fig. i, or with the aid of two 
blocks, shown in "B," Fig. i, you may nail it fast with common nails 
as illustrated in "C," Fig. i . The beauty of this plan is that you do 
not have to buy a single thing or go to any trouble to procure 
apparatus. The file should be a flat one-inch rasp about a foot in 
length. 

In Fig. 3 we show a device which may be called a home made 
skate sharpener. The one shown on the right of the cut is the 
simpler. It consists of a hard wood block one inch square and 
six inches long, into which has been cut a groove large enough to 
receive the skate runner. Through the center of the block and at 
right angles to the groove an oblong hole is bored, and into this a 
piece of file is inserted and held firm by a thumbscrew that comes 
down through the top of the block. A glance at the drawing in 
Fig. 3 will make this very plain to you. If this sharpener is accu- 
rately made it dispenses with the use of a vise. You simply place 
the skate runner into the groove and holding the skate with one 
hand push the sharpener back and forth with the other, with the 
same motion that a carpenter uses a small plane. In reality, you 

172 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 



173 



are planing the skate. The drawing to the left of Fig. 3 is another 
adaptation of the same principle. It is neater and more mechanical 
looking and at the same time a little more difficult to shape out. 




Gaoove *il.e 



TtG-3. 
HOW TO SHARPEN SKATES. 



With the aid of either one any amateur can sharpen his skates 
properly, for the file holder also serves as a gauge. Another advan- 
tage is that it may be carried in the pocket, so that you may sharpen 
your skates at any time and place you wish. 



174 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



SKATING SAILS 

When all is said and done, skating is the most glorious sport of 
all, and with the addition of this sail it becomes an almost divine 
glide. You can skim along thirty miles an hour with a sail, you 
can tack against the wind with it, you can steer with it, you can 
sneak in behind another fellow sailor and shut off his supply of 
wind, and then, when he kicks, you can get out of his way and 
race him. 





r^^ 




SKATING SAH., NO. I 



Get two bamboo or cane rods, one eight or ten feet long and 
the other six feet long. Out of a piece of scantling two inches 
thick and four inches long cut a block like Fig. 3. The hole in its 
center should fit the small end of the longer pole. The block itself 
is fastened securely to the middle of the shorter pole as in Fig. 2. 
Fit it as shown and then measure the size of the triangle that would 
join the corners. This Vv^ill be the size of the canvas required. 
The canvas must be of good quality and waterproof, but must not 
be too heavy. Hem it all along the edges and sew on a pocket at 
each corner. The six feet edge is now sewed with heavy cord to 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 



175 



the shorter pole. SHp the longer pole into place and you are ready 
for some fun. In carrying the sail to and from the pond slip the 
longer pole out of place, lay it alongside of the other, and roll the 
canvas around both. 

There is another skating sail which is superior to the jfirst because 
more than one boy can use it at a time. In use it is a sail, manned 
by three instead of by a single person, as in the case of the common 







SKATrNG SAIL, NO. 2. 



type ; in appearance it is an ice yacht, and differs only in the fact 
that instead of using steel runners permanently fastened to the 
framework, three steel-shod boys are used. And they are the boys 
that will have rare sport. It is hard to imagine anything more 
exhilarating than a speedy trip before the wind with one of these 
sails. 

The construction of the frame is simple work. The drawing il- 



176 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

lustrates every part of it, but a few hints will not be amiss. First, 
you may have six boys instead of three, by putting two at each 
point; second, when your framework is complete you can put 
runners on the points and you will have a regular iceboat. From 
this you will see that the plan covers a wide scope. 

First get two scantlings ten and a half feet long and lay them 
out parallel with eighteen inches of space between them. These, 
when connected with two braces eighteen inches long, will form the 
long central part. To the front ends of these long pieces spike 
two pieces of two-inch by six-inch stuff twelve feet long, one of 
them on the top and one on the bottom. Figure 3 shows what is 
meant by this. On the extreme right and left, and betw^een those 
double pieces we now place our handles. The full plan of the 
handles is shown by Figs. 5 and 7. Our next step is to brace the 
frame by putting in the wires "X" and "Y" as shown. We have 
now made ready for the mast and sail. From experience I know 
that much difference of opinion obtains as to the proper way to rig a 
sail. I have used the simplest method that I know of. If you 
know a better way use it and tell me about it. Our mast will be 
about eight feet high. A hole is cut to receive its base, while three 
wire stays leading from the top suffice to make it steady. The 
shape and dimensions of the sail are shown in Fig. 4. Along the 
base of the sail is a long light pole. It swings around the mast by 
means of the cleat "Z" shown in Fig. 6. A pole also runs along the 
top of the pole. This about completes the job. Of course paint 
will make it look better and at the same time preserve the wood 
from cracking. 

In order to be safe we have used pretty heavy lumber in our 
plan. You can reduce all the proportions if you wish. In convey- 
ing the sail overland or against the wind, roll up the sail, grasp the 
frame by the cross-arm, letting the rear handles drag. In like 
manner, when you are going fast and wish to stop, the rear boy 
drops his handles and the dragging will act as a brake. The rear 
man or two, if there be two, work the sail and do the steering. 
The steering is done simply by pointing the feet in the direction 
you wish to go. 



CHAPTER V 
A Winter TUting Game 

ThERK are many old-time games played on the ice which lend 
zest to the sport of skating, but some of them are very rough and 
unruly. "Land-lubber" and " Crack-the-whip" are all right if 
you have a whole lake to yourself, but otherwise they encroach 



ngr 




r/g.3. 

A WINTER TILTING GAME. 



Upon the rights of others. The game about to be described is a 
test of both skill and nerve, and yet the best player need not be 
the biggest bully, as in the case of most of the ice games. Neither 

12 177 



178 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

will you, in indulging in this sport, be interfering with the rights 
of others. 

The apparatus needed consists of an arch from which wire rings 
are suspended and a tilting stick for each player. The arch is 
made by sinking two poles into the ice. In a shallow pond they 
may be easily driven down into the ground, but on a deep lake or 
river they are set into holes bored in the ice and properly braced 
until they have a chance to freeze in. Another method is to use a 
wide heavy plank as a bottom anchor for each pole. At a height 
to be agreed on by the boys competing in the game a line is 
stretched across from pole to pole. The line may be secured as 
shown in Fig. 4. Short pieces of lath or shingle are threaded on 
as shown by "a" in Fig. 2. The ring consists of a piece of spring 
wire attached as shown by "b," Fig. 2. The stick used may be a 
broom handle tapered at one end. A tin shield is nailed on near 
the hand end. Figure 3 shows a pattern for cutting this shield. 
Now for the rules of the game. 

Each player starts from the same line and while going under 
the arch at full speed must spear a ring. To prove that he is going 
at a good pace he must slide 100 feet after spearing the ring, with- 
out any effort to propel himself. It is easy to pick off a ring going 
slowly, but if the player does not gHde along to the 100-foot line 
beyond the arch he must put the ring back, and forfeits his turn. 

Each player gets twenty chances, and the one who picks the most 
rings wins the game. There are other ways of scoring, but this is 
perhaps the simplest and best. Ten players may divide themselves 
into two teams of five each. In this case the members start alter- 
nately, say about forty feet apart, and whirl along in riproaring, 
lively fashion. An umpire must be appointed to decide all plays. 
In choosing sides try to equalize the talent on both sides. 



CHAPTER VI 

Skees and Skeeing 

Running on skees, or "skeeing," as it is called, is a sport that 
many boys of the western mountains indulge in each season with 
great vigor and delight. To many, especially those boys em- 
ployed in mining camps as carriers and roustabouts, skeeing is not 
a sport, but a matter of business. It is a very swift method of 




A BOY ON SKEES. 



getting over snow-covered ground, especially on routes or trails 
that are favored with slopes and declivities. 

The skee is not a snow-shoe, though it resembles it, and in some 
respects is a substitute for it. The skee is much easier made than 
the snow-shoe, since it does not require the intricate bending of wood 
fibre and the lacing and sewing of rawhide and leather. The 

179 



i8o THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

skee is all wood, with the exception of the straps used to hold it 
to the foot. 

To make a pair of skees one needs to get two very tough pieces 
of wood, and shape them into the form of runners. They are 
made all the way from five to ten feet long, but the average boy 
requires them about seven feet in length. If they are made too 
long they are cumbersome, and are dangerous things for the be- 
ginner to mount, since they are more liable to get crossed. Laurel 
or ash, well seasoned, is a splendid wood with which to make a 
pair of skees. They should be made about an inch or an inch and 
a half thick in the middle, but thinner toward the ends; also, they 
should be fully an inch wider than the sole or shoe of the user, and 
turned up in a curve at the front. This curve is best secured, as 
is done in shaping sled runners, by first thinning down the skee, 



^ 



AS A SKEC APPEARS FROM THE TOP AND FROM THE SIDE. 

and then steaming the end at which the curve is desired, setting 
it in a vise or frame and holding till seasoned; when released the 
curve will remain firm. Hsel blocks are placed at the center, on 
which to set the foot, and the skees are held secure by straps over 
the toe and foot and around the ankle. The skees are carved and 
ornamented to suit the individual taste of the owner. 

The beginner will do well to secure the skees to his foot in such a 
way as to be readily shaken off in case of accident. The skee pole, 
used for balancing and guiding, should, like the skees themselves, 
be made of very tough wood, and should be slightly pointed at 
the end. A long gradual slope, on which the snow is not crusted 
or is not too soft, is the best place for the amateur to make his first 
trial on skees. Place the skees parallel, and about one foot apart, 
hold the knees rigid and firm, and bend the body slightly forward. 
Grasp the skee pole firmly, and hold it in readiness to balance the 



THE OUTDOOR BOY IN WINTER 



I8l 



body, and also to steer. By holding the pole against the knee, 
and letting the end drag the snow, so as to prevent gaining undue 
speed, the beginner can soon learn how to manipulate the feet 
and ankles to keep the skees the right distance apart, and also to 
keep them pointed the right way. 

No boy or man either can mount a pair of skees and run off on 
them the first time without trouble. The beginner can always 
be depended upon to afford considerable amusement for those 
who are fortunate enough to see him make his first trial. Try as he 
may, one skee will be sure to take one direction, and the other 
another, which must soon result in the user being piled in a con- 
fused heap in the snow. But after a few trials the trick is learned, 
and the real sport of the thing can then be appreciated. 

A SKEE GLIDER 

Here is something of a thriller. Equipped with skees, or the new 
broad runner snow skates, you skim along and take a leap from a 




A SKEE GLIDER. 



hill, then your glider takes up the inrushing air and a swift ex- 
hilarating glide is the result. Skees are long wooden strips about 



1 82 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

3 X 46". They are tied to the feet and are used to ghde over ice 
or hard snowy surfaces. In Norway and Sweden, Russia, Canada, 
and other snowy regions they are very popular. The runway upon 
which the leaping contests are held is very carefully prepared and 
takes a sharp rise toward the end; this gives the runner impetus 
and he soars far out over the edge of the bluff into a deep snow 
bank. At the national meet in Norway a few years ago the winner 
leaped a distance of 1 70 feet. If he had had a glider it is probable 
that he could have gone twice that distance. The glider pictured 
here is made of bamboo poles, 18 x 30". Make a strong light frame 
by putting a cross-brace every foot, using lighter pieces of bamboo 
for same. Strong canvas is then sewed over all the frame except 
the very center. This is left open for the runner to step into. 
The canvas is bowed by placing twenty eight-inch braces, "6," "c," 
'V," "b'," as shown in Fig. i. It is the simplest form of glider. 
You will soon learn to use it to advantage. A tilt upward of the 
fore end makes the glide longer, and this is accomplished by 
shifting the feet. Be sure that the spot you alight on is covered 
four or five feet deep with snow. In localities where this scheme 
can be used it will easily surpass other winter sports. I would cer- 
tainly like to hear from you if you try it out. There can be no 
danger to it, for the people of northern Europe take those tremen- 
dous leaps without any glider or anything else to break the fall. 



CHAPTER VII 

A Snow Fort 

ThS picture suggests a rather elaborate snow fortification. It 
is patterned after the old-time blockhouses in which the early- 
settlers took refuge when harassed by Indians. Mark off a 
square about twenty feet each way and make the base of the wall 
four feet wide. At the point desired a large box with open ends 




A SNOW FORT. 



may be built over for gateways. One of these is shown near the 
left-hand corner. The wall is built by piling the snow up in an 
irregular heap and then trimming it down even with shovels. 
If built against the wall of a building only three sides will be re- 
quired. The dog tents, or small shelters, shown on the inside are 

183 



1 84 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

blankets erected on two poles. The flagpole is set in a pit in the 
center, so that it may be seen for a great distance. Raising the 
flag is a sign of battle, and lowering it, of surrender. The watch- 
towers on each corner are barrels built in as shown in Fig. 4. 

The plan, as given, will furnish a good deal of harmless sport, 
but it may be greatly elaborated on. 



CHAPTER VIII 

Miniature Ice Yachts 

Building miniature ice yachts is a fascinating sport. You can 
use your originality and best skill and can experiment along new 




A MINIATURE ICE YACHT. 



lines. The beauty of it is that after spending weeks making a 
model, you can test it out and learn where it is defective. If you 

185 



1 86 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

intend to build an ice boat this winter there is no better way to 
learn the little kinks thoroughly than to go ahead and build a 
model and test it thoroughly until you are satisfied that it is 
as near perfect as possible. Then, with the pointers you have 
gleaned, you are in a position to go ahead and design a man- 
size boat that will be of worth. The model I have chosen is 
a simple one. Figure 3 shows a top view of the framework. 
Use one-inch pine pieces four inches wide. Use the same ma- 
terial for runners, and here it is well to observe that the runners 
of an ice boat are square and flat and never rounded, as that would 
permit it to skid sideways. A strip of tin or an old tub hoop 
may be nailed to the bottom of the runner. To step the mast 
erect a stick cut from a common broom at a point over the joint 
where the planks cross. From this mast both sails are swung, 
the bowsprit in front and the mainsail in the rear. The stick at 
the lower edge of the sail is called a boom. This is permitted to 
swing back and forth by means of two rings. The end of the boom 
and the ring into which it fits is shown in Fig. i . Figure 2 shows a 
simple way of nailing on the runner. Make one of those models 
and set it going on some good ice. It will give you a merry chase. 
The plan in the main is good for any size ice yacht. If made larger 
steel skates would replace the pine runners. 



BOOK II 



PART I 
THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



CHAPTER I 
A Boy's Workshop 

Every boy needs a workshop all his own. He wants a place 
where he can hammer and saw and plan and invent, with nobody 
to bother him. Here, then, is your workshop. It will require 
little room and less money to build. 

The building will consist of five parts — two sides, two ends and 
a roof, besides a door and two windows. First level off a piece of 




A boy's workshop. 

ground nine feet wide by twelve feet long. The pieces of timber 
which rest on the ground are called sills, and for your shop you will 
need one piece four inches square (called 4x4) fourteen feet long 
and two pieces of the same size ten feet long. Square off the ends 
of these timbers to these lengths and with a rule measure seven 
feet from one end of the fourteen foot timber, mark with your 
square and saw in two. You will then have two seven foot lengths. 

189 



190 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

Mark off four inches from each end of all four timbers, square 
across on top, half-way down on the sides and across the ends, 
as in Fig. i . Saw to these lines and the ends of your sills will look 
as shown in Fig. 2. 

On the ground you have leveled off lay the ten foot sills parallel 
to each other and six feet fotur inches apart, and on them, at either 
end, lay one of the seven foot sills, fitting the joints as shown in 
Fig. 3. Use your square and shift the pieces until the sides and 
ends are perfectly square, then spike together with 2od nails. 
To secure a good bearing, dig out for and slip two bricks under 
each corner of the frame, raising or lowering as required until 
level, as proven when the bubble of your hand level remains in 
the center of the tube in all positions. Next cut your comer posts 

from four by fours fourteen feet 

% long. Square the ends to length as 

I you did your sills and mark off six 



^ 




i 



Fig I feet six inches on each stick for your 

back posts and make a square cut. 
This will leave the two front posts, 
which will be seven feet six inches 
Ti^l * long. Stand the posts on the sills, 

keeping them flush with the outside 
of the frame, and toe nail in place 
to the sills with 2od (twenty penny) 
p. 3 nails, using the level or square to 

prove that they are truly vertical 
to the sills. To facilitate holding them in place, short boards, 
called stay laths, can be tacked to each post until the comer 
braces, which you will now cut from two two by fours ten feet 
long, as shown in Fig. 4, are fastened to posts and sills, two at 
each post. 

You are now ready for the two pieces, called plates, which carry 
the roof boards and rest lengthwise of the building on the corner 
posts. These are two two by fours, nine feet eight inches long, 
set on edge, placed and nailed so as to lap two inches on the posts, 
and leave two inches for the pieces, called end rafters, which you 
will cut from two two by sixes as shown in Fig. 5. Fit and naU 
the end rafters to both the plates and the posts, and between them 
nail a two by four to nail the roof boards to, keeping the top of 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



191 



this piece flush with the top of the end rafters. Seventeen inches 
in the clear, each side of the centre of the front of the building, set 
a two by four, called a stud, extending from the sill to the plate, 
and six feet from the sill set in between the two studs a piece of 



I .' „i 1:1 Tj ", 




Fig.5 



This 



two by four, thirty-four inches long, and nail into place, 
makes your door opening. 

In the rear of the building set a two by four extending from 
sill to plate, half-way between the comer posts. Four feet from 
the sills on all sides nail a dressed two by four except at door. 

Cover your roof with matched roof 
boards, six inches wide and three- 
quarters inch thick, eight feet long, 
allowing boards to project over the 
front of building six inches and three 
inches over the ends. Cover the 
outside of the building with six inch 
dressed, matched roof boards or 
three inch beaded ceiling extend- 
ing from the bottom of the sills to 
the roof, leaving one inch free all 
around the door opening and an 
opening eighteen by twenty-four 
inches in each end for your windows 
just above the two by four. With 
finishing nails cut a one-half inch 
quarter round around the openings 
or make a frame of |" x 3" pine seventeen by twenty-three 
inches, inside dimensions, which nail over opening, leaving one- 
half inch all around to hold your glass. Set your glass, which 















I 


H 1 




■k 


^ 


^ 


^ 


^ 


\ 


r 1 















— 36"- 
F136 



192 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

should be double thick, into place and secure in place with a strip 
one-quarter inch thick and one-half inch wide, nailed around 
opening on the inside. 

Your door, which will be an ordinary battened door of the same 
kind of boards used to cover the sides of the building, as shown in 
Fig. 6, should be hung on two strap hinges. Make the battens of 
I dressed i" x 4". Paint the roof and outside of your workshop 
and fill in between the sills on the inside with clean dirt, tamping 
it well, and your shop is ready. 

The first thing you will need inside will be a work-bench, which 
we will build across one end of the building. Take a dressed 
hardwood plank 12" wide, if" thick, fourteen feet long, and cut 
into two seven foot lengths. Lay these side by side, keeping the 
ends even, and fasten together with three hardwood cleats i j" x 4" 
X 12" long; one flush with each end of boards and one in the centre, 
screwed to boards with No. 14 wood-screws 2j" long, six in each 
cleat, keeping the ends of cleats four inches from the back and 
eight inches from the front of boards. Cut out a block four inches 
square from the two back corners to fit around the corner posts 
of building. Cut four pieces of 4" x 4", twenty-eight inches long, 
and four pieces of i" x 6", twenty inches long. Twelve pieces 
in the clear from the corner post and on the front and back 
sills, nail one of the 4." x 4" and to this and the corner post 
nail one of the i" x 6" strips, keeping the strip level and even 
with the top of the 4" x 4". Take the remaining two pieces of 
4" X 4" and nail together with the 1" x 6" pieces, one on each side, 
even with the top ends of the 4" x 4". Lay your bench in place 
and you will find that the cleats drop into the pocket at each end. 
Under the centre cleat set the legs you have last made and fasten 
the back leg to the end sill of your building. 



CHAPTER II 
A Work-bench 

Every boy craftsman should have a work-bench. It is not only 
a great aid in constructing things, but it is a standing invitation 
to work. While you are about it you might as well make a bench 
that will do for all time. The plan shows one that will prove strong 
and serviceable. Two large slide drawers provide a place for 
keeping your tools, while the shelf will be useful for the same pur- 
pose while a job is in progress. Figure 2 presents a side view and an 
end view of the completed bench. For the legs you will need four 
pieces of 2" x 6" stuff 38" long. Fasten each pair together by 
means of a crosspiece of the same material, whose top edge is 
12" from the floor. Even with the top of each pair fasten a brace 
of like size. We now connect the pairs by putting in the lower 
shelf of i" boards. 

The compartment for the drawers is now built, the joint used 
being like the one shown in Fig. 5. The drawers are made of i" 
stuff. Figure 4 shows the plan of construction. Make them so they 
will slide freely, permitting them to be too loose rather than too 
tight. The handholds may be purchased at a hardware store or 
a department store. Log scantlings are now nailed so as to connect 
the legs at the top, and next the top is put on. Our picture shows 
that one half of the bench has a top which is 2" in thickness, while 
the other half is only \" thick. It will be better if it is all 2" thick, 
but it will cost more. The bench vise is a simple one and may be 
purchased for sixty cents. A square hole is chiseled in the top of 
the bench near the vise end. This is to provide a stop or buffer 
for boards while working. Tight-fitting pegs are put into the hole 
for this purpose. 

It is important that the bench be located where the light is 
good. Also see that all drafts are stopped. A nice, clean barn 
or the south window of an attic would be a good place for the 

13 193 



194 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



^^ 



wimk FIGlI 




FIC3. 




L 



FIG. 5. 

D 



FIG. 4. 




A WORK-BENCH. 



bench. The idea, though simple, is well worth being put into 
practice by any boy. If you have no work-bench, you should make 
tliis one without delay. 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 
A SMALLER WORK-BENCH 



195 



The type of bench treated here is very common and easy to make. 
The figures on the drawing show the exact size of each piece used. 
Figure 3 shows the joint used to fasten the long braces to the legs, 
Fig, 2 indicates how the short braces are secured. The purpose 



f6"''h">c8 




A SMALLER WORK-BENCH. 

of the sketch is to give you the proper proportion to follow. You 
may have both of the top planks of uniform thickness if you wish, 
but it is not necessary. 

A WORK CORNER 

Here is a suggestion for a work corner in the bam or cellar. It 
may be you haven't room in your yard for a regular workshop, or 
possibly father won't let you build one; surely, however, he won't 
object to giving you space in the house for this. It serves a two- 
fold purpose. By its constant presence and readiness it invites you 
to work, and when the decision is made it affords a good place. 
The first thing to do is to set up a couple of large shelves on brack- 



196 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



ets, and between the scantling tack four inch boards, which will 
serve as small shelves. A large box, reinforced by a double top, 
will do for a work bench. With a work corner like this, good, 
honest, beneficial occupation for the live, growing boy is always 




A WORK CORNER. 



assured. In the proper development of manhood, a kit of tools 
is just as important as a good set of books. A boy working with 
his hands is developing his brain every second of the time. 



A DRAWING TABLE 

A drawing table is almost as important as a work-bench. Here 
you can prepare your plans, make your working drawings, and 
get all the detail of the thing you are going to build on paper. 

Here is a drawing table of pleasing appearance and great utility. 
It is made of oak, and finished in dark or weathered stain. Let 
us start with the four legs. We show them i|" square, but you 
may increase this as much as you like up to 4". The simple task 
of sawing them straight and even at the top and bottom should 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



197 



be undertaken with the utmost care. Use a miter box if you have 
one. Remember that the experienced mechanic uses every possi- 
ble aid to get his work exact. Watch a carpenter and you will 
notice that he has a pencil in his hand most of the time and never 
saws without first drawing a line with a square or bevel. 



FUG. 1. 




A DRAWING TABLE. 



Figure 5 shows the lower rail which connects each pair of legs. 
The mortise or hole is chiselled out after being bored, that is, 
square it up with the chisel. The tongue should fit just tightly 
enough to require a few light taps of the hammer to send it home. 
This joint is glued. Brush on a thin coat of glue and let it dry, 



198 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

then another, and fit the pieces together. They must be held 
tightly and let alone for two days. If you have no clamps, try 
tying with rope. The top rails are less than an inch in thickness, 
depending on the size of the legs. They are fitted at the same time 
and in the same way as the ones just dealt with. With the back 
rail and drawer bottom in, our work will have the appearance of 
Fig. 3. The table top, 14" x 16", is fastened by driving screws 
at a slant through the rails up into it, but not enough to show on 
top. Care must be used to avoid this. On the right-hand side of 
the finished article you will notice the grooved pieces shown sepa- 
rately in Fig. 6. These are used to hold a drawing board when not 
in use. 

The drawing is now all that remains. There is a certain plan 
that must be followed in all slides, and I advise you to pull out one 
at home and observe the way it is made. With this first-hand 
information, and the dimensions furnished by Fig. 2, you will be 
able to manage it nicely. 

To finish, rub across grain with wood filler, using felt for a rubber. 
If too thick, thin with a few drops of linseed oil and rub off surplus 
with burlap before it hardens. The filler, which comes in all 
shades, must be allowed one day to dry. For the next coat use 
varnish, thinned one-quarter with turpentine. Rub lightly with 
fine sandpaper, when this dries, and then apply another coat of 
varnish without thinning it. This will look rich and satiny if 
rubbed with wax. 



CHAPTER III 

The Boy's Room 

Every boy has, or should have, a room of his own, and it should 
be his duty as well as his pleasure to keep it in order and make it 
pleasant and cheerful to stay in. Most boys are proud of their 
rooms. They fill them with trophies of the hunt, with curiosities, 
with pleasing pictures. Here they display their guns and fishing 
tackle and boxing gloves. In short, the boy's room does, and 
should, reflect the interests of his life. 

Furniture is an important item in a boy's room. You want a 
special sort of furniture that will fit your room, and here in this 
chapter we are going to tell you how to make, easily and cheaply, 
just the kind of things you most desire. 

A READING CORNER 

Here is a reading corner that suggests comfort, refinement, and 
the correct use of a neglected corner. If there is a comer in your 
room that has the light of one or more windows you could not do 
better than to utilize it in the manner shown by the accompanying 
picture. 

All that you will need to build is the bench seat and the shelf 
arrangement, and if you wish the latter may be left out. The 
first thing to do is to screw a strip to the waU at such a height that 
its top surface will be 17" from the floor. The strip itself should 
be 2" X 2" pine. The boards that form the seat should be 9" 
wide. As the seat is to be 18" wide you will need two of them to 
make up the width. They should be cleated together by fastening 
cross pieces every two feet under them with screws that are not 
long enough to show up on top. Put as many legs under the seat 
at the outer edge as you think necessary for the weight it is to bear. 
Space them about three feet apart. 

The shelves are now made. First, make the whole thing complete 
and then set it on the seat, fastening in place by driving three 

199 



200 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 




A READING CORNER. 




PIvAN FOR READING CORNER. 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



20I 



long screws through the rear upright into the corner of the room. 
It should be stained and varnished to match the other wood work 
of the room. The seat may be upholstered and a curtain stretched 
from the top to the floor. 

A WINDOW SEAT 

Possibly you have only one window in your room, in which case 
the foregoing plan will be of little use to you. But here is one 
that will do nicely. 

This serviceable window seat is easy to construct. A few 
minutes' study of the drawings will make clear all the necessary 



/><?./ 




FiQ.9, 



A WINDOW SHAT. 



details and then it is up to you to do careful and painstaking work. 
It is best to make it in the form of a portable bench, but the logical 
place to set it is as shown in the sketch. Each side piece is 32" 
high and 18" wide. Use the best wood you can get — oak, ash and 
maple being first choice. Yellow pine is ideal for an amateur 
on account of its easy working qualities, and it may be finished 



202 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

v/ith shellac and stain to look rich and appropriate. The rail on 
the top and base of each side is 2" thick and 3" wide. It is screwed 
into place and enables you to join the several pieces that form each 
side neatly. These pieces are also glued. This makes a close, 
true fit imperative. Brush on a thin coat of liquid glue and let 
it dry, then apply another very thin coat and quickly join them in 
clamps. 

The seat board rests upon cleats which are screwed to the inside 
of each side piece. The face of the bench consists of two 9" boards 
glued and cleated together. The seat may be made in the form of 
a lid which raises up and the inside makes a roomy storage place. 
The cross-shaped opening near the top of each side may be left 
out altogether or may be changed to suit your own taste. When 
complete, go over the entire outside surface and sandpaper it 
thoroughly. Next dust it with a brush or vacuum cleaner and in 
a dust-proof room apply a thin coat of shellac. When this has 
dried, give it a coat of mission stain, and then polish with wax. 
It will wear well and prove to be a neat and valuable addition to 
your room. 

A RUSTIC LOUNGE 

This lounge is pre-eminently a boy's piece of furniture because 
it is designed for a boy's room, to hold his traps, to provide him 
with a lounging place, to add a tinge of real boyishness to his 
apartment, and last but not least to give him something to do 
that will keep him out of mischief and teach him to use those 
ever busy hands in a way that will train him in the ways of 
manhood. 

The lumber for the seat proper he can gather in the woods. 
Straight limbs or saplings about four inches in diameter are the 
kind required. In the fall when trees are being trimmed he should 
have no trouble in getting a sufficient quantity even if he happens 
to live in a place where he has no access to a real woods. 

Figure i is a picture plan of the end of the seat and shows the 
number of pieces required and the size of each. Could anything be 
simpler? Just three cross-pieces fitting into holes bored in the 
two upright posts. The X-shaped braces are added for strength, 
and in some cases where the joints are firm may be left out of the 
plan. Make two ends exactly alike and then put in your long 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



203 



poles. This will bring you to a stage where your bench will look 
like Fig. 6. 

The next step is to build a box inside and under the seat. This 
not only makes a good storage place, but strengthens the frame 




'7z- — - — <^ 

A RUSTIC LOUNGE. 



wonderfully. Figure 5 shows how to screw the sides of the box to 
the legs of the seat. When the bottom is nailed in and the door 



204 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



cut of the front panel it is quite complete. You can easily get your 
mother to make a cushion for the top, or you can do it yourself 
by getting some imitation leather and sewing it in tufts like some 
of your upholstered furniture. With the addition of a few pillows 
it makes an ideal reading seat and has that distinctly different and 
classy appearance.that furniture makers constantly strive to attain. 

A SIMPLE TABLE 

Here is a table that is pretty enough for any purpose and at the 
same time so simple that no boy need be afraid to attempt its 
construction even if his kit of tools consists of only a hammer and 




A SIMPLE TABLE. 



saw. The top is 5' x 3' and is made by gluing together three 12" 
boards of the given length. You can use LePage's liquid glue for 
this purpose, and all you have to do is to smooth the edges that go 
together and brush on a thin coat of the glue. Place the glued 
boards in their right position on a smooth part of the barn floor and 
drive three spikes on each side, several inches from the edges of 
the outside boards. Wedges are then driven in between the spikes 
and the boards. Leave it thus to set and mark out your other 
pieces. Each of the four legs is 30" x 6" x \" . The stretcher or 
long under-shelf is a 12" piece 4' long. The braces that it fits into 
are 24" x 6" i". The cutting and fitting of all parts is plainly 
shown by the drawing. When complete the table should be 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



205 



smoothed with sandpaper and given two coats of white paint or 
enamel. It makes a beautiful piece of furniture and one that you 
may well be proud of. 

A DESK 

Of course you will want a desk. Every boy needs a place to write 
and study and read. Here is a first class one you can make from 
an old kitchen table. 

First get the kitchen table, strengthen it where needed and 
stain it a dark oak. Old varnish may be removed by washing in 



Figl 




FJg.Jl. 



A DESK. 

a liquid composed of three tablespoonsfuls of soda and a pint of 
water. Next cut the curves "A" and add the braces "B." The 
detail of the brace is shown in Fig. 3. On each side of the top of 
the desk is placed a compartment like Fig. 5. It is made of half- 
inch pine fastened with light nails. Figure 4 is the piece which 
rests over the top of these compartment boxes. It extends over 
the front and sides one inch. The size of those pieces depends on 



206 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



the size of your table. The picture shows the right proportion, so 
you need not be too particular. The most appropriate finish 
would be a coat of mission oak, repeated after a few days and 
polished with wax. It will look neat and make a fine addition to 
your room. 

A SBCTIONAL BOOKCASE 

Here is an excellent design for your room and you should begin 
to work on it without delay. The finished article is the sectional 
bookcase pictured in Fig. i. There are three distinct parts to be 



riG. I. 




considered, the base, the top, and the shelf or unit. Figure 2 
is a working drawing of the top. Three views are given : the end, 
the side, and the top. The dimensions are given and the kind of 
joint used is shown. It consists of four i" yellow pine boards, 
nailed together and trimmed on the edges with 1" moulding. 
Figure 3 shows the unit or one shelf, which has moulding at the 
bottom only, to cover up the joint of "Y" "Z." Figure 3 shows the 
three sides of the compartment, and Fig. 6 is a picture of it, with 
everything in place except the door, which is a frame set with 
glass. The base, upon which the sections are placed, is clearly 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



207 



illustrated by Fig. 4. It is simply a frame with the tapering legs 
set in as in Fig. 7. 



FIG. %. 



FIG. 5. 




1 



34 



\ I, - ,! ■ '■ L|i^< 



FIG. 8. 



PIG. 9. 





In this case the doors lift up and sHde in out of sight. A detail 
of this plan is marked Fig. 5. "A" is the door; "B" is the door 
partly sHd in; "G" is the top of the door rounded off. Figure 9 



2o8 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

is a detail of the corner of the door, showing the groove for the glass 
to fit in. Every board is cut straight and no curves or angles are 
used in the bookcase, still, great care is required to produce a 
neat and mechanically correct job. Before sawing a board use 
the square to draw lines, and hold the piece up to the place it is 
going to occupy to make sure you have not made a mistake in 
measuring. 

The disappearing doors work in the following manner. On the 
upper corners are two nails which stick out about one-quarter of 
an inch, as in "G," Fig. 5. These permit the door to hang from the 
longitudinal wire "G" in Fig. 5. To open the door, you catch it 
by the center on the lower rail, at which point a knob is provided, 
and swing it up until it is parallel with the ceiling, then push in 
and it slides out of sight. 

Any wood may be used to make this bookcase. Oak, chestnut, 
walnut or an}' hard wood will do best, but yellow pine is cheaper 
and takes a rich and elegant finish. To finish open grain hard 
wood you first apply paste filler, thinning it a little with linseed 
oil if required. Rub it across the grain with a piece of felt and wipe 
the surplus off before it begins to set. The filler is shaded like the 
stain you intend using. After it comes two coats of stain, then 
furniture wax or varnish. After the varnish you can produce a 
high luster by polishing with powdered rottenstone and polishing 
oil or water. 

A BOOK SHELF 

Possibly you have not enough books to warrant you in building 
a sectional case, but you are sure to have enough to fill a shelf. You 
will find the accompanying design handsome and useful. 

The first thing to do in planning this book shelf is to get two 
pieces of yellow pine, oak or chestnut, 4 inches wide, | of an inch 
thick and 22 inches long, for upright side pieces that lay flat 
against the wall. We now get a piece as shown in Fig. 3 and cut it 
on the heavy line. It is done with a circle saw. The top piece in 
this Fig. 3 is the lower rail in the finished drawing. It is 5 inches 
wide at the ends and 4 inches wide in the center at the curve. 
These rails are fastened to the upright side pieces as shown in the 
detail sketch Fig. 4. Next shape the sides with the two long slots 
as in Fig. 2. This is done with the small saw. Holes are first 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



209 



bored to give the saw a starting point. Screws driven from the 
back hold the sides to the posts. The shelves are 7 inches wide 
and 30 inches long. The top one rests flush upon the sides and is 
screwed thereto. The bottom shelf is shaped at the ends as shown 
by "X." Its inside edge rests on the lower rail and is screwed to 
it. Finish hardwood by rubbing in paste filler and coating with 



Fig.l. 




W 6" -I 



Fig.9. 3„, 










"•1 


T 
\ 


^^^i-_ 




>• 

•^ 
^ 



mission stain. For pine fill with shellac and then stain. Either 
is made richer looking by polishing with wax. Do not put a glossy 
varnish on anything. It requires years of practice and special 
conditions to do it right, and if done by amateurs the fact is notice- 
able at a glance. For a satiny polish use wax according to the 
directions on the can. 

14 



2IO 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



A CURIO CABINET 

Every boy collects something or other and the little cabinet 
is intended as a storage place for your collections. In Eig. 6 you 
get a view of all parts in their relation to each other. Presuming 
that you use yellow pine or white pine the boards for the sides are 




FIC.6 



A CURIO CABINET. 



54" X 12" X 1". The piece cut out at the bottom of each side 
board is 30" long, 6" wide at the top and 8" at the base. Along 
the rear edge of these long boards is a rabbet to receive the back 
pieces. This is shown in Fig. 7. A rabbet is an L-shaped groove 
cut in the edge of the board. You can have your boards ralDbeted 
at the mill, and should you do so a half -inch each way will be right. 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 211 

When the sides are thus far cut out, nail the split section together 
with a crosspiece at the bottom. Figure 4 shows how those cleats 
are connected with a stretcher. Figure 2 is the detail of the door 
corner joint. "X" is the rabbet into which the glass fits. This 
cut shows the pieces of the door frame separately and after they 
are joined together. Figure 3 is an illustration of how the hinges 
are set in their own depth. When the door is shut, the only part 
of the hinge to be seen is the round part which contains the pin. 
The shelves are light half-inch pine pieces which rest on cleats. 
A view of the end of the shelf is marked Fig. 5, 

The finishing of the cabinet is important. If you use yellow pine 
and want to finish it in natural style, simply apply three coats of 
varnish, the first and second being thinned and the last full 
strength. If you wish to stain it, put on two coats of stain after 
the first filler coat of varnish, and after the stain either wax it or 
varnish it. Open grain wood like oak requires different treatment. 
First you use paste filler. Thin your stain and varnish. 

A MISSION OIL LAMP 

Here is a plan that will be welcomed by those who have wanted 
a mission lamp, but who have been unable to indulge their wishes, 
because of a lack of the right illuminating medium. As you well 
know, either gas or electricity is usually required for this popular 
type of lamp, and the remoter regions of the country or the thinly 
settled parts of any state are without either. 

Our plan in this case is well worthy of the attention of either 
class. It shows how to convert a common oil lamp into a mission 
design by building a wooden enclosure around it. There are many 
different kinds of oil lamps and we have taken the shape that is 
most frequently met with for our basis. Diagram "a" of Fig. 2 
indicates the style of oil lamp we refer to. The first thing to do 
is to make the frame that encloses the lower part of the lamp. 
This applies even if yours is different from the one shown. Any kind 
of lumber may be used for this purpose, but, of course, the higher 
grade woods, such as oak, walnut, mahogany, or chestnut, are to be 
preferred. If you have not had much experience in woodworking 
it might be advisable to use clear pine, as it may be finished neatly 
with proper stain. It might be that you have at your disposal 



212 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



a discarded bedstead or bureau that, when torn apart, will provide 
ample material, or if you live in a large town you may be able to 
pick up something of that sort in a second-hand store. 

The edges of the enclosure "b" are mitered, that is, cut at an 
angle of 45 degrees. First, rip your pieces with a straight edge, 




Ce"S<f. 



A MISSION OIL LAMP. 



and then plane off the surplus. Mark the edges that are to come 
together and try them after every few strokes of the plane. This 
is the only safe way to get a perfect fit, and you can do it as well as 
the best mechanic in the world if you have patience enough. The 
four parts are held together with glue. The joint may be further 
strengthened by roundheaded brass screws, but I do not advise it. 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 213 

Always drill a hole for each screw you drive. The base comes 
next. It is simply a flat piece "d" and may be from 1" to 3" in 
thickness. The base is fastened to the frame by driving slender 
screws up from the bottom. We now cut out and finish the top 
piece "c." A small compass saw is useful in cutting out the circle, 
but it may be accomplished with a pocket knife. The top is 
screwed and glued in position, and we turn our attention to the 
corner pieces, "e." Draw out the shape on a piece of your half- 
inch stuff, and saw pretty close to the marked lines, then finish 
with plane, jackknife, and sandpaper. Glue them in place and 
reinforce with small screws. Liquid glue will do if you keep it 
covered when not in use. 

We now come to the shade. The framework may be made of 
wood, paper or copper. The directions following apply equally to 
any of the three. Mark out the diagram as shown in Fig. 3. If 
you use sheet metal or cardboard you can repeat it four times and 
then bend to shape. Figure 4 shows how to bend the inside of the 
metal so that the glass may be fitted in. If you get strips of oxi- 
dized copper or brass you can rivet them together. The one 
ingredient necessary to good work is patience. Our pictures give 
you the right dimensions, the neatness of the finished article de- 
pends upon yourself. The glass used in the shade may be bought 
in beautiful colors and cut to shape, or you may get common glass 
and paste on it a thin filmy paper that is sold for the purpose. 
It is usually called glass paper, but its proper name is "vitrophane." 
The shade supports "f" are too simple to require much explana- 
tion. Smooth them nicely with sandpaper and fasten with screws. 
I might mention here that you can get a burner for any oil lamp 
that will permit the use of a mantle, similar to those used on gas 
lights. It makes a very brilliant glow and will increase the value 
of your mission lamp. 

To finish the wood apply two thin coats of prepared mission 
stain according to the direction on the can, and then either one 
coat of shellac and one of wax, or if you like a dull finish omit the 
shellac and use two coats of wax. Polish with a piece of felt and 
you will have an article that you may be proud of. 



214 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



A CHECKER TABLE 

The plan herewith shows a checker table of neat and pleasing 
design. If you will study the top, side and end \dew shown by 
Fig. 2, you will soon have a thorough grasp of all the essentials of 

FIG. 1. 




A CHECKER TABLE. 

the plan. All the necessary dimensions are marked, and each par- 
ticular part is shown in its proper relation to all the others. 

We will begin work on the sides or legs. If you are using new 
material, we would advise you to get yellow pine. It works 
easily and takes a fine finish. To shape the legs you will need a 
brace and various sized bits, a small circle saw, a good, sharp 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 215 

knife and some sandpaper. First you must glue together two 9" 
boards to get the required width of 18". Use liquid glue in the 
following manner: First put on a thin coat and permit it to dry 
and fill up the pores of the wood; next put on another thin coat 
with a brush and immediately clamp the pieces together. The 
clamping may be done by placing the glued pieces between blocks 
nailed to the floor and then driving in wedges to tighten them 
together. You must also put something heavy on the joint so 
that it will not spring up. On the top of each side-piece are two 
wooden pegs, "D" in Fig. 5. These fit into corresponding holes 
in the top piece. The center brace, which extends through the 
legs, is toe-nailed from the inside. The wedge-shaped fastening 
shown in Fig. 4 is more for effect. The drawer rest near the top 
fits between the legs and is simply nailed into place. The detail 
of the drawer is pictured in Fig. 3. The piece "R" is one of the 
rests upon which the drawer slides. The ruling of the checker 
board must be accurately done in order to look right. First, make 
the large square, then the line from top to bottom in the center, 
then a line which crosses that in the center and so on. The drawer 
pull is a small brass knob, which may be bought for a nickel. 

Finishing consists of two coats of mission stain, one day apart, 
and then a thorough polishing with wax, which is sold for this 
purpose. Altogether it makes a fine addition to a home, especially 
to the boy's room. 



CHAPTER IV 

Mission Furniture 

COMBINATION BOOKCASE AND DESK 

ThS accompanying illustration shows a combination article 
that you will have abundant use for. It makes a roomy bookcase 
for reference works and can be instantly converted into a desk 
for your study work. It is designed in such a simple manner that 
the boy with only a few tools and little experience can confi- 
dently undertake to construct it. If you study the sketches you 
will note that every piece is shown in its proper place and every 
joint used is clearly pictured. Begin with Fig. 2 and you will 
learn the dimensions. The first thing to do is to cut out the long 
side pieces. The rear edge is rabbeted to receive the back pieces. 
Observe Fig. 6 to get this idea. You can order this done at the 
mill with no extra expense. If you cannot get boards 15" wide as 
required, you will have to glue an 8" and 7" piece together to 
form each side. The variation in the width, as shown in Fig. 2, 
should be carefully marked out and sawed. Do not saw exactly 
on your line, as allowance must be made for the finishing to be 
done with plane and sandpaper. When this is done mark cross- 
lines for the shelves. You can sink the shelves into grooves, or 
put wooden cleats for them to rest on, or small angle irons. For 
amateur work I prefer the latter. The angles may be purchased 
at slight cost or made out of strap iron as thick as a book cover. 

When the shelves are in place, our job will look like Fig. 4. 
Next comes the back, which will materially strengthen the struc- 
ture. The compartment box, as in Fig. 3, is entirely made before 
being put in place. Use quarter-inch pine for the shelves and 
half-inch stuff for the outer shell. All the edges are glued and 1" 
brads are used to hold parts together while the glue sets. It re- 
quires a good deal of figuring to assemble the box as shown. After 
the outer shell is made the entire inner structure is nailed together 
before being slipped into it. 

216 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



217 



The drop leaf, which also serves as a writing rest, comes last. 
It is carefully fitted and hinged as shown in Fig. 7. Other fittings 



FIG. I 




FIG. 3. 



►4"- 






1 1 








■> 13" — «• 




'4' 


■ 


• '-■" ' : 



FIG. 4 



riG.6t 





COMBINATION BOOKCASE AND DESK. 



are a knob and lock and the chains. For a natural wood finish 
on yellow pine apply three coats of varnish, the first and second 



2l8 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



being thinned with turpentine. After the first thin coat you may 
stain any shade desired, applying two coats. Yellow pine finishes 
very nicely and will last practically as long as any hardwood. 

A SEAT 

Here is a settle that will be found serviceable in the hallway 
or in a boy's room. It is simple and pleasing and can be made of 



FIG. 1 




A SEAT. 



pine boards, or out of the material in some old-fashioned wooden 
bedstead. The sides extend in one piece from the floor to the top 
of the highest back rail. Each one is i6" wide and 38" long. 
It will probably be necessary to glue two 8" boards together to 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 219 

get the required width. For a clamp use heavy blocks nailed to 
the floor, which must be perfectly level. Place your boards between 
the blocks and wedge them in tightly, besides weighting them 
down. Both pairs may be handled at once. 

When the sides have set, make and fasten in place the umbrella 
rack on one or both ends. All parts of this are shown on the drawing, 
with the exception of the small bottom board upon which the 
umbrellas rest. After the sides are thus complete, nail in the lower 
rail of the back rest, then the upright pieces which are mortised 
into it, then the top rail. The face board under the seat comes 
next. Lastly, set in the seat. This may be permanently nailed 
front and back or it may be put in like a door hinged at the rear, 
the hollow part of the body, in this case, serving as a storage place 
for rubbers, boots, and other bad weather necessities. Glue is 
used at every joint, and in addition nails or screws are driven from 
the concealed side in such a way that they will not show on the 
surface. 

If you use yellow pine and wish to finish in the natural grain, 
the proper application will be three coats of varnish, the first 
being thinned one-quarter with turpentine, the second one-eighth 
and the last used just as it comes from the can. A very light 
rubbing with sandpaper may be given between the second and 
third coats. A hardwood finish consists of applying filler, stain, 
varnish or wax, and then, if desired, polishing. Follow the order 
given. You can get small quantities of wood finish, with full 
directions on the cans, in hardware stores or department stores. 

A WRITING TABLE 

This design for a writing table has the following qualities which 
should recommend it to your attention. It is neat, easy to make 
and inexpensive. 

The legs are the first to be made. Use three-quarter oak or any 
hard wood, or pine if you must. The measurements and shape 
are shown in Fig. 5. Carefully mark them out on the lumber with 
a pencil before cutting with saw or plane. Finish one until you 
have it as perfect as your skill will permit, then use it as a pattern 
for the others. When the legs are done the hardest part of the 
work is over. 



220 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



You next connect each pair of legs by two strips, one inside the 
top of the legs and the other for the drawer to rest on. Figure 3 
shows the table when the first stage of the making is complete. 
Only simple shaped strips are used (leaving out the legs), and you 
should have no trouble in getting the legs together in the exact 
manner shown by the picture. 




Fiq3 

A WRITING TABI^E. 



When you have this part accomplished, put on your table top. 
Care must be taken to get the prettiest side of the boards up and 
to join them in a way that will show the grain off to its best ad- 
vantage. A little shelf is placed on each end of the table for books 
to rest on. 

The kind of joint you are to use so that no nails or screws will 
be seen is quite a feature of the work. Wherever two pieces of 
wood come together use a thin coating of glue. Liquid glue is 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



221 



good enough. First put a thin coat on to fill up the pores of the 
wood, and after it has dried brush on another coat for adhesive 
purposes. The nails and screws used are always driven from the 
reverse or unseen side, and do not pierce the piece they enter clear 
through, but only part way. Use long slender screws and always 



riQ.4: 




nc d 



FKr-a, 




A WRITING TABLS. 



bore a hole for each one. It takes time and patience to do it, but 
the best is none too good for you. Examine the stands and tables 
in your own home and note how the parts are held together. 



A TABLE 

Here is a useful hint on increasing the value of a table. The idea 
is to add a slide to the under side of the shelf. This large drawer, 
which is practically out of sight, makes a roomy place to store books 



222 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



and other material. The table itself is of simple construction 
and is amply described by the side and end views Figs. 2 and 3. 
As to material, the costlier woods are always to be preferred, but 
pine will answer as well. The 4" x 4" legs taper slightly at the 
lower end. The first part of the work will be to glue and cleat the 
pieces which form the top together. The shelf pieces are glued, 
but not cleated. They are fitted at the corners as shown by Fig. 5. 
The rails are 2^" wide pieces which form the sides and back of 




h ^8 



,^^^ 




A TABLE. 



the slide drawer compartment. They are mortised into the legs, 
as shown by the detail sketch Fig. 4. The brackets used are 9" 
long and 3" wide at the wide end. Dowels are used to fasten them 
to the legs, and screws from the under side hold them firmly to the 
table top. The sides and face of the slide are of \" stuff, the bot- 
tom is of half inch. As a finish put on a thin coat of shellac and 
then stain to suit taste. Wax rubbed on according to the direction 
on the can makes a neater and classier finish than varnish. It 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



223 



requires no skill to put it on, while varnish must be thoroughly 
rubbed and made even or it presents an ugly appearance. 

A HANDKERCHIEF BOX. 

A handkerchief or trinket box is a handy thing to have and 
always makes a welcome present. If you follow these directions 
you can make one easily and with small expense. The sides of 
the box are the only parts that will tax your skill and patience. 




WIDTH 8" 




A HANDKERCfflEP BOX. 



Lay your flat piece of oak on a table and carefully mark the dia- 
gram to the shape and dimensions indicated by our sketch. When 
you have sawed them out, cut three grooves on the inside of each 
to receive the ends of the shelves. The grooves need not be any 
deeper than the thickness of a match and may be gouged out with 
a sharp knife. The three shelves are now glued in and left to set 
over night. The back of the cabinet is nailed to the shelves and 
sides and serves to strengthen the whole frame. The top compart- 



224 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



ment and front door are clearly shown by the drawing. The cover 
lifts out, and when in place rests upon the small cleat as shown. 
The finishing of the cabinet is a very important part of the work. 
First smooth it with the finest sandpaper, then apply wood filler 
of the desired shade, next brush on some mission stain, and when 
it has dried a few minutes rub off the surplus with a soft rag. The 
next day stain it again and finally polish with furniture wax. 
You can get small half -pint cans of this finishing stuff at any good 
hardware or general store. 

A CABINET STAND 

Here is a neat and useful cabinet for books, or papers, or for 
curios or a collection of something not too bulky. It is made in 



Top l9"Sq. 
., Posts \z " 




A CABINET STAND. 



plain mission style and will be just the thing for a beginner to 
try his hand at. 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 225 

Your first work should be on the posts. All that you need do 
is to square the ends. This is not quite as easy to do as it sounds, 
but with great care you will be able to accomplish it. We next 
put in the pieces that fit on the right and left sides of the drawers. 
They are 1" thick and 12" wide, and fit between the legs. Their 
length will be about 13". They are held in place by what is called 
the dowel joint. The dowel consists of wooden pegs fitted into 
holes bored into the two edges that come together. They are just 
like the pegs in a common table leaf, only they are glued tightly. 
After you have the sides in place let them set for a day, and in the 
meantime you can work on the table top and the top of the 
drawer section. When these are in place, you can measure and fit 
the drawers. The table top is fastened with dowel pins as shown 
in Fig. 2. In Fig. 4 "B" and "C" are small strips upon which the 
drawers will slide. Figure 3 shows one corner of the flat piece that 
fits on top of the drawers. The face of the drawers should be of 
i" material, the rest of them may be made of half-inch pine. For 
a neat finish brush on two coats of prepared stain a day apart 
and then either varnish or rub with wax. If you are careful in 
your work you will be more than pleased with the finished stand. 
It will prove ornamental and useful and will help you to keep 
yoiu: room neat. 

A DESK 

The desk shown herewith is designed for home use and will 
stand a good deal of hard knocks. If care is taken to get the lines 
straight and plumb it will present a neat and pleasing appearance. 
Above all its good points is its simplicity and the fact that any 
smart lad with a hammer and saw at his disposal can build it. 
Figure 2 shows a front and side view of the completed desk, every 
piece and its dimensions being graphically described. First dress 
down four pieces for the legs, 24 x 2 x 2-inch oak. They are tapered 
toward the bottom as shown, or may be left straight. At a point 
4 inches from the lower ends join each pair with a brace which 
goes through a square hole previously chiseled out. On top of 
those braces and 5 inches off the ground is the long shelf connecting 
the leg pairs. We now build the frame shown in Fig. 4 and place 
it in its position as in Fig. 5. Curves may be cut on the under side 
of this frame or they may be left straight if you prefer the rigid 
15 



226 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



mission style. All the corner joints used so far are clearly shown 
by Fig. 3. We now put a flat board covering on top of the frame- 
work shown in Fig. 5, just as if we were making a table instead of 
a desk. 




A DESK. 



We now build the upper section of the desk, beginning by setting 
in place the two side uprights, 10" x 20" oak. Wedge-shaped 
fancy braces similar to the ones for the upper parts of the legs help 
to hold the sides firmly to the table top. The top of the desk, 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 227 

33" X 12" oak, is now prepared. The edges must be routed as 
shown. An amateur must do the biggest part of the work with 
sandpaper and must exercise great pains to produce an even and 
graceful curve. A wood chisel with a curved bit is the tool to 
use if you can. The compartments in the upper section are shown 
and need no further comment. You will have to use ingenuity 
to get them built firmly and neatly. 

The front door, which drops down to serve as a writing surface, 
is our next work. It must be made of several pieces glued together. 
It must fit accurately in the frame of the upper part, but should 
not bind or scrape, as it will have a tendency to expand a little, 
like all doors. Use neat brass hinges and a strong brass chain to 
suspend it. When you have all the building work complete, go 
over the entire surface with fine sandpaper and rub off all rough- 
ness and discolorations. Then brush off all dust and apply stain 
according to directions on can. Use it very thin and put on three 
coats if necessary. A wax rubbing will finish it nicely, but if you 
prefer use varnish. It requires a good deal more skill to properly 
apply varnish. This desk may be made of all pine and finished 
the same way. It is ideal for a boy's homework and makes study 
inviting. 

A STAND 

A stand of neat and pleasing design that offers the amateur 
mechanic some chance to profitably exercise his talent can be 
readily made by the boy who is handy with tools. Its usefulness 
will not be questioned, for no home has quite enough small tables. 
There is one more essential feature embodied by this design, 
namely, simplicity. Only flat, one-inch boards of the commonest 
type are used, and all the lines are straight lines. 

For the top you use two pieces twelve inches long and the same 
in width. If you use yellow pine or some wood with a nice grain, 
select the prettiest pieces for the table top. The two parts are 
glued together and cleated with light strips about the size of laths. 
Be sure to use screws that are not long enough to show up through 
the top. The method of gluing is simple. When you have the 
edges that come together nicely fitted, brush on a light, thin coat 
of liquid glue and let it dry. This is to fill up the pores of the wood, 



228 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



and another coat must be put on just before you bring the edges 
together. Allow a day for it to set. 

The legs are three inches wide at the top and four inches wide 
at the base. Pile them on top of each other and make sure that 
they are all the same size. The shelf or under part of the stand is 
shown in Figs. 2 and 6. The shelf proper rests upon two diagonal 



rjGj 




r/os 



3"— 1- H 



A STAND. 



braces. Where those braces cross each other in the center you must 
cut a mortis as wide as the width of the brace and as deep as half 
its thickness. 

In assembling, first screw the legs to the shelf, using the wedges 
"X" for them to rest upon. Now cut the bottom edge of the legs 
to such an angle that they will stand perfectly on a level floor. 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 229 

Now lay on your top and keep at it until it rests even. Next 
screw to the outer side of each leg one of the wedge-shaped pieces 
shown in Fig. 3. When they are in place, try the top again and 
mark the outlines of the legs with a pencil. The outline of same 
is shown in the lower left corner of Fig. 5. Upon those outlines 
paint the glue. The table top is fastened also with small screws 
driven from the inner side of the leg up in a slant direction into the 
top. 

A beautiful finish on any kind of wood may be obtained in the 
following manner : First a coat of water stain of the desired color, 
mission oak or dark oak being preferred for this table. Next a 
coat of filler, followed by another coat of the stain, and lastly a 
thin coat of wax. When the wax has dried it may be rubbed to a 
satiny shine with a piece of cloth that is free from lint. 

BLACKING CASE 

A neat and serviceable article which every boy can make and 
use to good advantage is a blacking case to hold the brushes and 
other stuff and also furnishes a support for the shoe while polish- 
ing. Figure 3 shows end view and a side view with the necessary 
dimensions. The material used is i" pine. First lay out the boards 
which are to form the legs. These two pieces are each 12" x 18". 
To make the curve at the bottom, first bore a i" hole in the center 
of width and 7" from the bottom. Now mark a point 2" in from 
each of the low outside corners. From these points you can inscribe 
a regular curve to the hole you have bored. Take plenty of time 
and have both alike before you begin to saw. You may now cut 
and nail in the back piece which is 7I" x 11", and fits between 
the legs just described. At the front nail in two i" cross braces, 
between which the drawer fits. All of the drawer except the face 
or outside piece is made of half-inch stuff. The face is of i'' stuff. 
The top consists of two pieces of i" pine 7" x 14". One is nailed 
on solidly, the other is hinged to it. Use small square hinges and 
put them on as shown in Fig. 2. They are sunk into the wood 
the depth of their own thickness. The hinges will cost five cents 
and a knob for the center of the slide may be obtained for the same 
price. The block or shoe rest which is screwed to the top is shaped 
by tracing around a shoe and then cutting with a small circle saw. 



230 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



Make it of two inch stuff and screw it through a small hole bored 
with an eighth-inch bit. 



PI6.1. 




A BIvACKING CASB. 



The finish may be two coats of dark mission stain or two coats 
of black paint. If made carefully the cabinet will present a neat 
appearance as well as give good service. 



STOCK LIST 

Legs, 2 pieces 12" x 18 

Top, 2 pieces 7" x 14 

Back, I piece i\" x 1 1 

Drawer, 3 pieces 7" x 1 1 

Drawer, i piece 1 1'' x 1 1 

Drawer, i piece 7" x 1 1 

Hinges, nails, knob, paint. 



;"x 


y" 


^"x 


1" 


" X 


1" 


" X 


¥' 


" X 


Xtf 

1 


// «■ 


t'/ 



X I 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 
A TELEPHONE SET 



231 



A stand and a chair whose purpose is to make the use of the 
telephone more convenient are easy to make and will be appre- 




!<. — is' — »| \< le" — H 




FIG.6. 

h K— 12."— >1 K— ig."— S 




A TELEPHONE SET. 



ciated by father and mother. As the)'^ are the same in all respects 
except size, it will only be necessary to describe one. 



232 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

About the only cutting there is to be done is that required to 
reduce common boards to the shape of the leg pieces. In order 
to get the required width, i8", you will have to temporarily cleat 
together two 9"- boards. Mark the design as shown in the cut with 
pencil. It is very likely that it will take you longer to do this than 
you at first supposed it would, but the all-important thing is to 
get it done right. Don't be satisfied with almost right. Make 
it accurate and well balanced in every detail, for upon the correct- 
ness of your diagram depends the beauty of the finished piece. 
When the marking is done, remove the cleats and saw out the proper 
portions. Next make a shelf like Fig. 2. Connect the legs with 
it and drive small finishing nails in such a way that they will not 
show. On the top edges of the legs you must bore holes and glue 
in two pegs, as illustrated by "D" in Fig. 3. These fit into cor- 
responding holes on the under side of the table top. 

The finishing process is important. First remove all roughness 
and soiled appearances with fine sandpaper, then brush on a thin 
coat of mission oak stain. Before this dries wipe off the surplus 
with a clean lint-free rag. Next day put on another coat, and so 
on until the wood is an even color. A coat of the very best varnish 
might then be applied, to be polished two days later with wax. 
If finished like this, the set will be as beautiful as it is serviceable. 

PLANT STAND 

Here is a plant stand of simple design which will be very nice 
for the porch this summer. There are two units, that is, only two 
pieces of different shape. One of these is the shelf piece, of which 
there are two, the other the leg, of which there are three. The 
material used is quartered oak or yellow pine, one inch thick in 
the rough and a little less when dressed down. Order it from the 
mill planed and sandpapered on all sides. Two boards 7 inches 
wide and 28 inches long are glued together, and two circles 13 
inches in diameter are inscribed on the same. Figure 3 illustrates 
this. Each of the eight sides of the octagonal disk will be 6| inches 
long. In this part of the work, which is the simplest, great care 
is necessary. Mark out the whole thing before you touch it with 
a saw. Use a fine-tooth saw, work slowly, and sandpaper the 
edges to a fine degree of smoothness. Wrap the sandpaper around 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



233 



a flat block and rub it slowly, using long, firm strokes. The legs 
are 3 inches wide at the base and 2 inches wide at the top. The 
circular piece cut out of the bottom is i| inches in diameter. It 
is first marked and then either bored out with an extension bit, 
or sawed with a scroll saw. More patience than skill is needed to 



FIG. 1. 




l^aK- -^h 



PLANT STAND. 



insure a good job. The groove at the top as shown in Fig. 4 is 
first marked out, and then sawed to a depth of one-quarter inch, 
the loosened piece being taken out with a wood chisel. 

The parts are fastened together with round-headed blue screws. 
Bore a hole for each screw as big as the shank, or that part of 
the screw that would still be left if the thread was stripped 



234 THE BOYS' V/ORKSHOP 

and filed. This is a good point to remember for it applies to 
all wood work. 

If you use yellow pine, finish by giving a first coat of varnish 
thinned one-half, a second coat thinned one-eighth, and a last 
coat just as it comes from the can. For oak, first fill the pores of 
the wood with filler in paste form of the shade you like, then varnish 
and polish with wax, rottenstone, or rubbing oil. You will like 
the appearance if you use pains. 



CHAPTER V 
Novelties for Christmas Presents 

A BOOK SHELF 

In selecting material for jobs of this kind it is really economical 
to choose white oak, walnut, or chestnut. They are not the 
cheapest, but only a small amount is required and you will want 
your shelf to be rich and well finished. You can have the pieces 
cut pretty close to the size of the finished parts at the mill. For 
the base get a board slightly larger than the size marked, allowing 
J" on all four sides for planing and sanding. Next we tackle the 
upright ends. They are 9" high and the comers at the top are 
rounded. If you have a small saw you will be able to round them 
off without much trouble, but you can do it with a knife and sand- 
paper just as well, only it takes more time. When you have the 
ends done it is time to lay out the groove into which they fit. 
Figure 3 illustrates a properly cut groove. Stand the end on the 
base and mark along its edges with the point of your knife, mak- 
ing sure that your lines are straight and parallel. Then clamp 
down your baseboard and saw to a depth of \". The thing to 
avoid is getting your saw cut too deep. A narrow wood chisel 
will be very useful in gouging out the wood between the saw cuts. 
It is best to build the end pockets and attach them to the ends 
before securing the base and ends together. The pocket is made 
of two side pieces and one end. Figure 2 is a picture of the side 
piece. You can do the curve cutting with a circle saw, finishing 
with a round stick wrapped in sandpaper. The end is clearly 
shown in Fig. 4. The parts should now be fastened together with 
glue and small screws, preferably the blue, round-headed variety. 
Brush on a thin coat of liquid glue on all parts that are to touch 
and let it dry, then when ready to join another thin coat will 
suffice. In a glue joint the parts should touch each other evenly 
at every point. For that reason the use of screws as a reinforce- 

235 



236 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



ment is advised. If the amateur can make a perfect fitting joint 
he may omit the screws. Have a gimlet at hand and bore small 
holes for the screws. In woodworking it is desirable to drive nails 
and screws in such a way that they will not be visible in the 
finished article. Look over any piece of furniture and you will see 
how this idea is carried out. The top shelf must be fastened with 
screws driven from the outside ends. In this case, where it is im- 
possible to hide the screw, get one that will look good. 




/^/G:2 /='/G.3. f/Cr4 

A BOOK SHELP. 



The finishing of our bookshelf must be carefully done. Put on 
several thin coats of mission stain with a small brush that will 
enter all corners. A day between coats must be allowed for drying. 
You can get a stain that will require no additional finish, but it 
will be improved by rubbing with wax. The wax is inexpensive 
and gives a satiny shine that looks very much like the real store 
furniture. 

AN UMBRELLA HOLDER 

The umbrella receptacle shown in the accompanying sketch 
is of neat and simple design and can be made of common pine 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



237 



boards by any boy who cares to try his hand at it. It will be 
found useful in any home, for rain sticks certainly have a habit 
of hiding or disappearing altogether. 

To begin with, get a board 28" long and 12" wide. You must 
then carefully mark out a diagram like the one indicated in Fig. 
2, using the dimensions given there. The slot-shaped holes are 
cut by first boring through with a 1" bit and then sawing with a 



^/oi 




r/G.2.\^Q'-^ 



f7G.3 




AN UMBRELLA HOLDER. 



compass saw. The round hole made by the bit can be squared 
up with the saw and finished with a flat file or sandpaper. The 
four sides are alike and may be joined in either of these two ways. 
The first and neatest joint is shown in Fig. 4 and consists of planing 
or sawing the edges that join to an angle of 45 degrees. The other 
way, and by far the easiest for amateurs, is to simply leave your 
boards square at the edge and nail them flush to each other. In 



238 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

either case use round-headed blue screws to hold the parts together, 
and try the edges often enough to make them fit nicely before 
driving the screws. In assembling the sides, first tack them to- 
gether with small finishing nails and then bore holes for your screws. 
When the screws are in, draw the nails and putty the holes. 

At the bottom of the rack on the inside place a tray made of 
sheet metal. Its shape and the manner of putting it in place is 
clearly shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 

The simplest finish consists of careful sanding, then two coats 
of prepared mission stain. Each coat should be allowed a day to 
dry. Brush it on thin and as quickly as you can, then if there is 
any surplus wipe it off with a clean rag. After the stain has dried 
apply either wax or varnish. If you work carefully and follow 
directions you will be greatly pleased with the finished article. 

WASTE BASKET 

A waste basket in use in the home must be neat and rich looking, 
and should harmonize with the rest of the furniture. In the plan 
given herewith an attempt is made to fulfil these requirements. 
The scrap receptacle is mission style, but slight touches here and 
there would make it fit in with any type of interior decoration. 

The posts are one and one-quarter inches square and 18 inches 
long. On two sides of each post are scored grooves wide enough 
to receive the tongued ends of the sides, as in Fig. 6, and one- 
quarter inch deep. Before cutting the grooves, shape and finish 
all the pieces which form the sides of the basket. These, as well as 
all other parts, should be of yellow pine. The thin board which 
forms the bottom half of the sides is one-eighth inch thick; the 
heavier cross-pieces are 2 inches by ^ inch and of the dimensions 
shown in Fig. 3. The only way you can make those narrow grooves 
is with a knife or small wood chisel. A drill and small size bits 
will prove useful in getting started. Mark lines carefully before 
you begin cutting. Brush liquid glue on all tongues or tenons and 
also on the inside of the grooves. A light even coat is preferred 
to a sticky mass. Small nails driven from the inside through both 
post and tenon will strengthen the basket. 

The weaving of leather straps, or an imitation of the same, is 
simple. Tack the upright strips into place with upholsterer's 



THE INDOOR AIMERICAN BOY 



239 



tacks and weave in the horizontal ones as in Fig. 3. You may use 
imitation leather or hea\y paper or felt or brown cloth. 

The finishing is done in the usual way. Sandpaper and, if 
necessary, wash off all dark spots and discolorations. When the 



fiKlC 




A WASTE BASKET. 



surface is smooth and dn.-, brush on a thin coat of prepared mission 
stain, quickly wiping off the siu^lus with a soft rag that will not 
shed lint. Xest day apply another coat of the mission oak stain, 
and after that polish with prepared wax. This gives a thin satiny 
gloss which is preferred to the high shine of varnish. 



240 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



HANGING FLOWER BOX 

Here is a design that will add beauty and refinement to the 
appearance of your front porch. The lines of the box are simple, 
but it must be carefully made to avoid a cumbersome look. A 
piece of i" pine board which is lo" wide and 66" long will provide 
the four sides. Each side is 9" wide at the top and 14 inches wide 
at the base. The edges which join each other to form the box 




HANGING FLOWER BOX. 



are beveled, that is, planed off to an angle of 45 degrees, as shown in 
Fig. 3. Fasten them with finishing nails, driving the heads be- 
neath the surface of the wood, so that they may be covered with 
putty and paint. The flat base board is 18" square. It is made of 
four triangles, each of which measures: base, 18"; altitude, 9". 
By using this four-piece plan you are enabled to get the base from 
your 10" board. Nail the base to the sides, taking care that they 
rest even. Around the top nail a light strip of moulding. Some- 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 241 

thing 2" wide and very plain will be appropriate, but anything 
you have on hand may be made to serve the purpose. 

The four pieces to which the wires are attached must be sand- 
papered on the sawed and curved edges until they are very smooth. 
They are fastened by driving nails or screws from the inside of 
the box outward against them. The interior of the box may then 
be lined with zinc and a few holes bored in the bottom to let out 
the surplus water. The lining may be omitted, but its use will 
make the box last longer. When the parts are all assembled, sand- 
paper the entire surface and apply a coat of green paint. When 
it has dried, putty over the nails and apply one or two coats of the 
green paint and a coat of varnish. You wiU then have a weather- 
resisting box that may be kept clean and glistening all the time. 

COMBINATION CLOCK AND SHELE 

The neat and practical article pictured here will afford a fine 
opportunity for the boy with mechanical talent to exercise some 
of it. If you study the several parts that go to form it you will 
note that they are of simple shape and quite easy to cut out. 

The first piece to give your attention to is the base. It is 22" 
x 6" and ^" thick. Its shape is that of a simple rectangle with 
the comers rounded a little. Mark the curv^e at the four comers 
with the same object, say a coin or paper pattern, and do the round- 
ing off with a knife and sandpaper. The next part we tackle will 
be the flat top piece, which is 24." x 6". Save for its extra 2" in 
length it is similar to the base board. 

We will now take up the part that encloses the clock. An alarm 
clock of ordinary size is the kind we use. We first need a piece 
7" X 5" X I" thick. Find the center and from it draw a circle 
which tallies nicely with the clock face. Cut the circular piece 
out with a compass saw and fit the clock into it. It will take quite 
a little patient effort to do this right, but you will be well repaid 
for the pains you put into it, as it is the showiest part of the finished 
article. Now to hold the clock securely in place we brace it on 
the top and bottom with pieces shaped like Fig. 4. Figure 2 
shows clearly how those pieces look when in place. It is now time 
to build the boxlike center part shown in Fig. 2. It may be made 
of half-inch pine with the exception of the face piece or front. 
16 



242 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



This consists of a small frame that encloses the square piece into 
which the clock fits. 

When you have completed it, lay on the top and fasten it with 
small screws, remembering to always bore a small gimlet hole 
before inserting the screw. The hole should be just the size of 
the shank of the screw. The shank is that part which the thread 
encircles. The thread is the only part intended to bite into the 
wood. If you have to force hard, the screw will act as a wedge and 
split your work. Next comes the base board. Note the piece 



no I 




CLOCK AND SHELF. 



that runs along under it. It is about 23" long, 2" wide in the 
center and i" wide at the ends. Fasten it in place with glue and 
small nails. All that now remains to be added are the triangular 
pieces shown by Fig. 3. They add much to the appearance of the 
clock and must be carefully shaped out. The nails that hold them 
in place, or perhaps it is best to insist on the slender screws, should 
be driven from the top and bottom flat pieces. In that way they 
will not be seen. Two coats of dark mission stain and one of var- 
nish and wax will make a nice finish. If you prefer a gloss, use the 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



243 



varnish and wax and polish with a soft rag. If you hke the rich 
satiny appearance usually characteristic of high grade furniture, 
use only the wax and after it is on a few hours rub it to a shine 
with felt or flannel. It will present a rich and satisfactory appear- 
ance if finished in this way. 

FOR MY CHUM 

No doubt there is one lad who is your heart to heart friend and 
close companion. You will want to remember him in a manner 




9 2x14 



16 

MATCH HOLDER. 

befitting the season, so why not present him with this neat and 
practical match holder. It will be just the thing for his room and 
he will certainly appreciate it. There is no trouble in making it, 
but you must be accurate and painstaking. Four different sized 
pieces are used. Note the dimensions and the arrows leading from 



244 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



them to the piece indicated. You should have them all cut to 
shape and carefully sanded before you start to put them together. 
Use oak and select the prettiest grain where it will show up best. 
For fastening together use large-headed upholstering tacks or 
round-headed screws. Finish it by staining a dark color and polish- 
ing with wax. If it is to be attached to a door or casing, leave holes 
in the center piece where they will be covered by the piece of sand- 
paper. 

FOR GRANDMA 

This substantial footstool is a thing of beauty as well as an 
article of real practical value. It will make an appropriate gift 




rsQ. 




2,"SQ. 



A FOOTSTOOL. 



for your grandmother or grandfather. But little lumber is re- 
quired, but it should be the best quality of oak. As the most diffi- 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 245 

cult work is the making of the legs we might as well begin with 
them. In sawing each square piece to the tapering shape the main 
thing is to have them held firmly and to proceed slowly. Mark 
lines on all sides and after every third or fourth stroke of the saw 
look to see whether you are going right or not. Considerable time 
must then be spent in sandpapering the legs so as to remove all 
saw marks. The mortise is cut by boring a row of holes and then 
squaring up the edges with a small wood chisel. The rails that 
connect the legs are next. When finished, glue them in place, and 
while they are setting saw out the top. Note the holes on each 
comer of the under side of the top to receive the legs. The up- 
holstering is done by padding the center and then covering with 
a piece of leather or suitable cloth. Large-headed tacks are used. 
The finish should be dark oak or weathered oak. 



FOR FATHER 

Your father will take more pride in your ability as a craftsman 
than any other member of the family, so you will want to do your 
very best in making this shaving cabinet. I think I have reduced 
it to the simplest possible lines without destroying either its 
beauty or utility. It will probably be a good plan to first buy the 
mirror you are going to use and then build the cabinet to suit its 
size. The size of each side piece is shown in the lower right-hand 
diagram. It is easy to cut out. "X" is a groove. "Y" is a cleat 
for the drawer to slide on. The top fits into the grooves, a glue 
joint being used. The back of the cabinet consists of two cross- 
pieces fitted into notches. They will be hidden when it is in use 
and may be bored so that screws can be driven through to the wall. 
The smoothing of the curved edges and the finishing must be 
slowly done if you intend to have your finished article a real suc- 
cess. In this case finish the same shade as the room in which the 
cabinet is to be used. The mirror is pivoted in the center and tilts 
both ways. The addition of two fancy hooks to the side of the 
cabinet might add something to its value. One would be for the 
the razor strop, the other for a towel. 



246 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 





A SHAVING CABI>mT. 



A MISSION CANDLESTICK 

The vogue for mission articles continues and will probably 
always be with us. The reason for this is, that while other styles of 
an extreme nature erred by being too fantastic and complicated, 
the mission style, if it is wrong at all, errs on the side of simplicity. 

Like everything else really artistic the mission idea in furniture 
has been abused and misunderstood, but there is now emerging 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



247 



out of the chaos of designs a clear, pure type of home ornamenta- 
tion that will last as long as lumber is obtainable. 

The candlestick shown herewith is a good design for a beginner 
to attempt. It has very simple lines and is easy to make. The 
material used should be oak, walnut or maple. No doubt you can 
find some old table or bedstead or bureau that will, when torn 
apart, provide ample lumber to choose from. First cut a flat piece 
for the base 8|" square and about 1" thick. Square the corners 
to the best of your ability and smooth the top and edges with fine 




A CANDLESTICK. 



sandpaper until the grain stands out pretty and even. Now for the 
upright piece. A square table leg or bedpost would be fine for 
this, but you must cut it to taper from 3" square at the base to 2" 
square at the top. The way to do this is to mark it carefully on 
all four sides, then with a saw patiently cut away, taking pains 
to keep on the lines. The stiffer the saw blade and the finer the 
teeth on it, the more perfect will be your work. The upright piece 
as shown is 11" long. Again use your sandpaper by wrapping it 
around a small block and rubbing just where smoothing is needed. 
Be careful not to round off the comers, as that is a sign of careless 



^48 The BOYS' WORKSHOP 

work. The flat piece for the top is next made and put on with 
glue and small brads, and then with a i " bit a hole is bored through 
it and into the post to a depth of 3" or 4". Getting the hole in 
the exact center is the point to be careful of. The base is nailed 
to the post by brads driven from the under side. Glue may be 
used to make the joint more perfect. 

The shape and dimensions of the piece that serves as a handle 
is clearly shown in Fig. 3. It is hardly possible to make words 
convey a clearer conception of its appearance and purpose than 
this drawing does. The same may be said of the upper braces 
shown in Fig. 2. However, these pieces are the hardest to cut out 
on account of their curves. Don't try to make them too nearly 
right with the saw. Leave plenty to be sanded off and you will 
get better results. The braces and handle may be secured in place 
simply with glue or with long, round-headed blue screws. When 
working in hard wood always make a hole for a screw with the 
auger before attempting to drive it. Otherwise a split will be the 
result. When the parts are assembled give the whole a final 
smoothing to remove stains, and put on a coat of filler. Next 
put on a coat of furniture wax. This latter can be bought at any 
hardware store and gives a fine satiny finish. 

AN ASH RECEPTACLE 

Here is a neat and practical article that will be found useful 
around any home. It is a little receptacle for cigar ashes and 
matches. As long as we have men we will have smokers, and some- 
thing must be done to prevent the usual mussy appearance of the 
tables and stands caused by the same. The new feature involved 
in this plan is the tray which may be dumped by turning the key 
which sticks out of the side of the box. It keeps the rubbish 
hidden and when it becomes full the bottom is pulled out and 
emptied. 

The first thing we will do is to make the four-sided box which 
is pictured in Fig. 3. You will note that the edges are mitered 
or cut at an angle of 45 degrees. If you have a miter box it 
will be easy to do this cutting, but if you have none at your 
disposal it will require some little time to make the parts fit 
accurately together. If you cut the pieces so that the grain 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



249 



of the wood runs upright you can plane the edges. Pine is the 
proper material to use and the fastening is done with small brads. 
When the box is completed, get a piece of moulding and saw off 
four lengths 3" long. One of these pieces is shown in Fig. 2. They 
are to go around the base and will add much to the appearance 
of the finished article. They may be either nailed in place or 
glued on. You should have a small bottle of liquid glue in your 
tool box ready for such 
occasions. Brush on a 
thin and even coat, and 
after it has filled up 
the pores of the wood 
and hardened, put on a 
second coat and clap 
the pieces together. 
They should be left 
under a weight or pres- 
sure of some kind for a 
day. 

Now we come to the 
interior of the recep- 
tacle. The tray may be 
fashioned out of a piece 
of cigar-box wood. Fig- 
ure 4 is a picture of it 
and shows also the key 
used to turn it. The key 
consists of a piece of wire 
with a button of wood 
for a thumb hold at the 

outside end. If you wish you may simply twist one end into the 
shape of a key handle. The bottom of the box is a removable tin 
disk. Get a flat piece of tin or any light sheet metal and bend 
up the edges enough to give it a hold when pressed in. A couple 
of coats of stain and a coat of varnish will be a suitable finish for 
the wooden parts. 




AN ASH RECEPTACLE. 



CHAPTER VI 
The Boy's Gymnasium 

A ROWING MACHINE 

An essential feature of the boy's gymnasium is the rowing 
machine. This apparatus is not so difficult to make as you would 
imagine. 

If you study the complete sketch showing the boy operating 
the machine you will get the essential parts and the principle 



Fi&t 



FicZ. 




firmly fixed in your mind, and it will be much easier to understand 
the detailed description which follows. 

First we will lay out the base of our machine, shown in Fig. 3. 
The bottom part is made of four planks laid out in diamond shape; 

250 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



251 



only two of the points are squared. Each of the four pieces that 
form it are 4' 6" long, 5" wide and should be about 2" thick. A 
short length of the same material is screwed to each side to hold 
the planks together, and also to form a bearing for the lever pin. 
At the center two more planks are placed across the diamond frame, 
from front to rear. In the center of the diamond and on top of 
those two cross planks is a heavy oblong piece for a seat rest. 

Figure 4 shows the construction of the seat. It is simply two 
upright pieces with a plank across. It may be padded or a better 




way still is to have a rather hard cushion for the purpose and 
simply tie it on. Figure 6 shows the foot-rest. It is too simple to 
require any explanation. Glance at the picture and you will see 
its object and principle instantly. 

The lever and its bearing is very easy to understand and build. 
The bearing is a 2" square block about 4" long fastened securely 
to each side of the diamond frame. A hole is bored in the top of 
it and into this hole a common oar lock, used in row boats, is fitted. 
It should turn freely, but not be loose enough to shake in the socket. 



252 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



The upper or U-shaped part of the oar lock is fastened permanently 
to the lever which takes the place of the oar. The lever consists 
of a baseball bat or a stick of wood similarly shaped. To the end 
furthest away from the hand a cord or flexible wire is attached. 
A complete plan of the lever is shown in Fig. 5. 

We will now follow the cord after it leaves the end of the lever. 
This is best done by referring to the complete sketch. You will 
see that it passes under a pulley which is attached permanently 
to the floor, then to the top of the machine, through another puUey 
and down to the weight, which is pulled up and down when the 
machine is in use. 




Ft& 7 



The weight and wire runway are made as follows: First, spike 
a piece of 4" x 4" stuff to the floor and wall, directly back of the 
center of the frame. Its length is 36". A similar piece is securely 
bolted to the wall about five feet above the floor. To the top of 
the lower one fasten a number of staples or screw eyes. To the 
under side of the high piece in Fig. i a similar number of staples 
or screw eyes are driven. Wires, upon which the weights slide, 
are hooked to those staples, from top to bottom. At one end of 
the wire a spring should be placed to give it some elasticity. 

The weight consists of a box which may be filled with any heavy 
material. Two wooden spools are fastened to the rear side so 
that it will roll more readily along the wire. 

The purpose of having more than one staple to attach either 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



253 



end of the wire to is so that the machine may be instantly adjusted 
to boys of different physique. When the wires are parallel it is 
quite easy to pull the weight up, and it has a tendency to drop too 
quickly upon the recovery stroke. By widening the distance 
between the wires at the top even the empty box is hard enough 
to pull up, and of course, having little weight, will not drop heavily. 

A very complete plan of the wires, weights and attachments 
is shown by Fig. i. Figure 2 is a side view of the same. 

When the wires are parallel the machine may be used as a chest 
weight machine. In fact, this machine constitutes a whole gymna- 
sium in itself. Assuming that you will buy everything needed the 
cost will not exceed $1.50. Two or three boys should easily make 
one in a day. 

THE JUMPING HURDLE 

The jumping hurdle is a simple and practical article for indoor 
or outdoor use. Begin by getting two pieces i|" square and 6' 
long. Bore eight inch holes through, spacing them an inch apart 




A JXJMPING HURDLE. 



at the lower end and a half inch apart at the upper half. Figure 4 
shows a section with the holes bored and their use. We now nail 
a four-inch block on the bottom of each upright piece as shown in 
Fig. 2. When this is done we must saw off eight strips exactly 
like the one shown in Fig. i. The dimensions are 15" x 4" x i". 
Four of these are hinged to the bottom of each stander, being so 



254 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



placed that they will swing up out of the way as shown in Fig. ^ 
and Fig. 5. For a cross-bar use a light stick 6' long, preferably a 
piece of bamboo. A picture of the hurdle set up ready for use 
is shown surrounding the detail sketches just explained. The 
cross-bar rests upon pegs made of wire as in Fig. 4. The spikes 
shown in the ends of the 15" strips in Fig. 3 are used to sink into 
the ground so that the upright piece will be firmly planted, but 
they may be eliminated from the plan if the jumping device is to 
be used exclusively for indoor use. Tinting the perpendicular 
strips with alternate blocks of red and white paint makes it neat 
and classy looking. 



CHEST WEIGHT MACHINE 

The chest weight machine shown here constitutes a whole gym- 
nasium in itself. It is an original design, tested by several years of 




A CHBST WEIGHT MACHINE. 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



255 



continuous use, and it has few equals as a muscle-producer. The 
shop-made chest machines cost from $10.00 up, and are quite 
complicated and unwieldy. This one need cost you only 50 cents, 
will take up very little space, can be regulated according to your 
strength, is easy to move and can be used by every member of 
the family indoors or outdoors. The most appropriate place, 
however, is the barn or attic, and we will give directions accord- 
ingly. 

The first lumber you need is a piece of sound scantling 2 x 4 x 24. 
It is well to smooth it with a plane and sandpaper on three sides, 




PLAN FOR CHEST WEIGHT MACHINE. 



letting the 4 x 24 surface that touches the wall remain rough. 
This scantling is firmly spiked to the wall at a height about even 
with your shoulders. You next procure two pulleys of the type 
shown in the drawing and fasten them with staples to the scantling. 
We will now make the base of our machine, which consists of heavy 
blocks that act as bumpers or rests for the weights. Eigure 4 shows 



256 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

the construction very clearly. If it is not convenient to get pieces 
of the dimensions marked, short lengths of plank or any scrap 
lumber you may have on hand will do quite as well. When 
finished the base should be fastened to the floor by driving one 
eight-penny nail at each corner down in a slanting direction into 
the floor. 

The next step is to string the guide wires from the top of the 
machine, Fig. i, to the base board, Fig. 4. It is best to use heavy 
wire about the diameter of a lead pencil, but any of the smaller 
gauges will do in a pinch. The wires are secured to the wood with 
screw eyes as shown. One pair is placed at each side at about 
the distance indicated. The weight box shown in Fig. 2 is so simple 
that we need not describe it further. Note the screw eyes on the 
rear side through which the wires run. When in use this box, con- 
taining the weights, slides up and down and the wires prevent it 
from swaying or swinging. On top of each box a pulley is fastened 
as shown in Fig. i. These pulleys will cost ten cents each at a 
hardware store, or five cents for the four at a junk dealers. The 
handle of the machine placed at the ends of the ropes is shown by 
Fig. 3. It consists of a pail handle threaded with light wire, which 
is bent into suitable shape. The manner of rigging up the rope is 
amply illustrated in Fig. i. 



PARALLEL BARS 

To make the parallel bars described here a boy must have a 
good deal of faith in his own ability and plenty of perseverance. 
Every part of the work must be very carefully done, and with the 
idea of promoting strength and simplicity. The material must, 
on account of the strain it will be subjected to, be of the best. 

We will start at the base. Four 2 inch planks 8 inches wide 
form it. The long ones are 7 feet 6 inches in length, the shorter 
two 4 feet 3 inches long. Lay out the planks to form a frame as 
shown, placing blocks 8 inches square under the shorter pair of 
planks. The measurements to guide you in laying out this frame 
are shown in the drawing. Spike the pieces firmly together and 
where the double thickness comes bore four holes as shown in 
detail Fig. 3. The holes go through both planks. The upright 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



257 



posts come next. Figures 3 and 4 show the shape of the bottom and 
top respectively. They must fit tightly and stand perfectly up- 



Fie.i 




PARAIvI^El, BARS. 



right. You will have to try over and over again to accomplish 
this result, but the training to accuracy that this alone will give 
17 



258 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

you is worth a good deal. Use glue at both joints, and reinforce 
with nails driven in at a slant as in Fig. 4. The metal braces shown 
in Fig. 5 are next screwed into place. Besides supporting against 
strain, they should tend to keep the posts vertical. The bars at 
the top should be of selected straight grained hickory. It takes 
some time to get them smooth enough for this purpose. Sandpaper 
carefully with the finest grade of paper, using lastly the sheets 
that are well worn, and apply spar varnish or linseed oil. These 
bars are simple, strong and serviceable. You will find such appara- 
tus in use in nearly all gyms throughout the country. 



VAULTING HORSE 

Here is another standard gymnasium article that you can make 
at very little expense, save that of labor. It is a vaulting horse 
of the type commonly seen in large athletic club rooms. Figure 3 
is a side view and Fig. 4 is an end view. 

The thing to begin on is the base, which consists of a rough 
framework of planks. The planks used are 8" wide and 2" thick. 
Lay two 5' lengths parallel on the floor, with a space of 10" between 
them. At each end nail a short length of plank even with the 
comers. Now take one pair of legs of the saw-horse, like Fig. 4, 
and rest it on the long planks so that the side of the legs touch the 
short planks, to which they are nailed. Do likewise with the other 
pair of legs. Now lay 0:1 the other two short pieces of plank as 
clearly portrayed in the finished drawing. Fig. i. The planks are 
spiked into place and we are now done save for the top of the appa- 
ratus. The top of each pair of legs is shaped like Fig. 5. The upper 
part of the vaulting horse consists of a long, strong box padded 
with carpet and canvas as in Fig. 6. The handholds are put on 
before the padding. They may be made of large, heavy bolts 
bent by a blacksmith to the shape of an inverted "U," or they may . 
be of wood held in place by upright bolts, as shown in the detail 
cut. Fig. 2. 

The stunts which may be performed on a vaulting horse are 
varied. Like anything else, use will suggest many new things to 
you. No gymnasium is complete without one. 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



259 



FIG. Z 






' W/Mv//////////^^ 




1 

1 






t 1 


1 






-5'- 












^4* 

1 1- 


k8* 




*8* 



FIG. 5. 





VAULTING HORSE. 



A GRIP MACHINE 

The little device shown in the accompanying cuts is called a grip 
machine because it is intended to develop the strength of the wrist 
and fingers. It is used by being grasped in the hand and squeezed 
until the two cross-pieces of wood touch each other. The fingers 



26o 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



are then relaxed, and the tension of the rubber brings the parts 
back to the normal position shown at Fig. 2. The motion is then 





I 1 



Figt 



repeated until the hands become tired. You might think this 
woiUd take a long time, but if you can squeeze the machine thirty 






6l^~^ 






|.^i— 



I 
I 
• 
4 

it.. 






..Jj 



Fig. 4 
A GRIP MACHINE. 



times at the first trial you are doing very well. It is interesting 
to use it every day, so you can see just how fast your strength is 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 261 

increasing. All athletes in regular training use the grip machine 
because it develops a most important set of muscles not specifically- 
reached by any other device. It is also believed that it prevents 
stiffness and knottiness of the arm muscles. The wrist and fingers 
are the weakest parts of nearly every one, and as you well know, a 
chain is only as strong as its weakest link, it behooves you to make 
the device. 

Figure 4 is a diagram which shows how the wire is bent. The 
heavy black dots shown are nails driven into the board, and 
should be spaced exactly as noted. The dotted line is the wire. 
It begins at the right-hand corner, and follows the direction of the 
arrows. This is the quickest and surest way to bend the wire 
properly. Figure i shows how the longest cross-piece has to be 
bored to receive the wire and rubber. The other parts are a wooden 
handle and two small round-bored pieces for stops. The rubber, 
which can be purchased for five cents, is fastened to the loops, 
which have been twisted in the comers of the wire frame and to 
the sliding stick. 

METHODS OF HANDLING THE PUNCHING BAG 

PUNCHING BAG DRUM 

For a long time the punching bag has been recognized as one 
of the best aids in developing speed and grace, as well as strength. 
There are many different kinds of drums or striking surfaces in 
use, but for a plain, everyday boy, who must use the wood shed 
for his gymnasium, the one shown herewith is recommended. It 
consists of a double thickness of matched boards which is nailed 
to a strong frame erected in the comer of the barn. 

First tack your scantling in place as shown in Fig. 6, and nail 
two light strips across them, on the top side. This is done to make 
sure that the frame will fit in the corner after the matched boards 
are nailed to it. Now draw the nails that hold the scantling to 
the walls, and lay the frame on the floor, the light strips men- 
tioned being on the ground side. Now nail on the half -inch pine 
flooring, taking great pains that the nails and all other inequalities 
of surface are hidden. The second layer of boards is laid across 
the first. Save your best and smoothest boards for this last course. 



262 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



Several coats of shellac or linseed oil are given to the striking 
surface. 

You will need several boys to help you hold the disc up while 
the scantlings which form the frame are spiked securely to the 
walls. The height from the floor is governed by your own stature. 




^4-w 



PUNCHING BAG DRUM. 



The strap on which the bag hangs is generally 4" to 6" long, and 
the bag itself should have its center on a level with the eyes of the 
person using it. It will be a good safe way to screw on your swivel 
and hang the bag therefrom before you erect the drum. Then 
you can determine the right height by standing and measuring 
with your eyes, as explained, while others raise the frame to suit 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 263 

you. It is well to make a small platform for your young brother 
or any small lad to stand on when he whales the flying pellet. 

A PORTABLE PUNCHING BAG DISC 

Here is a punching bag drum which any handy lad may con- 
struct in his spare time. It is made of light stuff and can be taken 
down, folded and stored out of the way without much trouble. 
This feature permits the disc to be put up in the middle of the bam 
or lawn or cellar as the case may be. Begin work by cutting out 
the circular form that is to be used as the drum or striking surface. 
Lay your i " pine boards flat on the floor alongside of each other, 
placing them as tightly together as possible and tacking to the 
floor solidly enough to prevent the possibility of the boards shift- 
ing. Now draw a circle by means of a small strip which has a 
nail driven in each end. About 36" is the length of diameter, the 
strip you use for describing will be equal to the radius, or 18". 

The boards are now cleated together except the center, which 
is provided with hinges as shown in Fig. 2, so it may be folded up 
as in Fig. 3. If you wish you can dispense with the hinges and use 
strong cleats that go all the way across. Four blocks of the size 
and shape pictured by Fig. 7 are firmly screwed to the disc at each 
quarter of the distance around. They will rest upon the posts that 
support the drum. Figure 2 is a complete plan of the disc and 
shows the reverse side, that is, the side which the bag does not strike. 

The posts are 2" square and of any desired length. A slotted 
piece like Fig. 6 is fastened to the top end of each. The long slot 
in this piece permits it to be raised or lowered at will. It is held 
tight at any height by the wing nut shown in the cut. Figure i 
shows every detail of the post construction. It is an ingenious 
and very strong device. By studying it a few minutes you will 
get the idea firmly fixed in your mind. 

Figure 4 shows how the bolts in the face of the drum are sunk 
beneath the striking surface and then plugged with wood. 

We will now suppose that the drum is resting on the posts. If 
we tried to use it in this shape we would find that it lacked firmness 
and stability. This fault is overcome by the wires strung from the 
top of each post to the floor. Steel snaps, used commonly on the 
ends of hitching straps, are placed on the end of the wire, and hook 



264 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



on to staples or rings in the floor. That about completes the drum 
save for the finishing of the surface. This is done by sanding it 



Tifrj 



ttCrX 




PUNCHING BAG DISC. 



thoroughly and applying two coats of shellac. This punching 
bag device is superior in many respects to any on the market. 

OTHER WAYS TO DO IT 

This striking bag has the happy faculty of bobbing up again 
no matter how hard it has been knocked down. The first thing 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 265 

FIG.1. 




266 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP, 

to do is to erect a hollow post nmde of 4" pine boards after the 
manner of Fig. 2. It sets upMDn a cross which is screwed to the 
floor, and is well braced with set pieces as shown. Finish it entirely, 
with the exception of one side, which is left open. We then nail in 
the solid block "R" and attach the lower part of the spring to a 
screiv in its center. In Fig. 4 "D" is a heavy ball, "A" is a short 
chain leading from it, "C" is the hook and "B" the upper end of 
the spring. "E" is the wooden pole upon which the punching bag 
is mounted. 

In Fig. 3 "Y" is the same pole and "X" is a tin or leather horn 
which fits inside the neck of the bag, but not the bladder. When 
this arranging is done, nail the board on the open side of the box 
in such a way that it may be removed without trouble. You can 
set up yom- common bag in this way and no doubt will enjoy the 
change. 

Another new punching bag stunt is shown in Figs. 5 and 6. 
In this case instead of striking a drum or bobbing back the bag 
turns a complete circle around the shaft from which it is sus- 
pended. It works with nice regularity and permits the use of a 
great variety of exercises. The shaft is a piece of half -inch gaspipe 
with two couplings or sleeves, "A," on it. Between those is a swivel, 
"B," which must turn freely and not bind on the couplings. The 
end of the pipe, which is attached to the corner of the building, 
should be flattened a little and set into a hole of oval shape. If 
it is left round it will turn with the motion of the bag. 



CHAPTER VII 
Interesting Toys 

PILE DRIVER MODEL 

0ns of the first things that a boy of mechanical ingenuity will 
do is to study the machines and contrivances he sees and then try 
to imitate them in small working models. It is good practice, 
too, for it teaches first principles far better than they can be 
gleaned from text-books. One of the most interesting and at the 
same time simplest of ordinary devices is the pile driver. Wherever 
one is working you will see a crowd of spectators intently looking 
on. 

This plan has been made as simple as possible, omitting the 
high rigging and other unnecessary parts and confining it to the 
working principles. Let us first construct our frame work. It 
must be done accurately if we expect good results. The base may 
be a i" pine block about lo" square. The two uprights are 8" x 
^" X i". Note the way they are fastened at the bottom. Small 
brads or a few nails from a cigar box are used. The grooves in 
the inside surfaces are to permit the weight to slide up and down. 
The cutting of those grooves is a matter that will test your patience 
unless you have a small set of gouges. The boys who have not 
this advantage can score them out with a pocket knife by going 
slowly and methodically at it. Mark out your lines and dig away 
with the point of the blade and you will soon have it properly done. 
For- smoothing and finishing wrap a quarter or half dollar in a small 
piece of sandpaper and rub the edge of it thoroughly. 

The slant pieces act both as braces for the uprights and as a sup- 
port for the spool that holds the rope. The bearing, or part upon 
which the axle turns, is shown clearly in Fig. 3. The wire used 
for an axle fits tightly into the spool so that when it turns it will 
bring the spool with it. In the end of the axle, "X," file two slots 
and make the end of the crank chisel pointed enough to fit it. At 

267 



268 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



the top of the frame you will notice a small ring through which the 
line passes. Under this ring is a secondary cross-piece. In the 
cross-piece is a slot i" wide and |" long. It is beveled or cut slant 
as shown at "A," Fig. 5. The clutch or jaws that grip the weight 
are shown also in this cut. The jaws are pieces of sheet metal 
cut out with a chisel or shears and finished by filing. They are 
riveted in the center to another piece of metal of weight enough 



^/G.^ 




SV^V^ 



PHvE DRIVER MODEL. 



to cany itself down. The rivets should be loose enough to 
permit the jaws to swing freely. The weight of the jaws are 
supposed to cause them to drop down and slip over the top part 
of the sliding weight that does the driving. When it has gripped 
it, you wind up, and the weight is carried to the top of the frame. 
There the top part of the jaws will enter the slot "A" and will be 
pinched together. This will cause the bottom parts of the jaws to 
spread apart and the weight will be released and drop. Then 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 269 

you let go of the crank, and the jaws, by virtue of their own 
weight, will fall and again clutch the hammer. This hammer or 
heavy weight can best be made by getting a piece of lead or 
solder at the hardware store and filing it to shape. 

FIDDLE DRILL 

Here is an old-time mechanical device that will be found useful 
in your work shop. It is called the fiddle drill. It is a very handy 
tool with which to drill through glass or sheet metal. The bow 
is a piece of bent hickory with a good stout cord tied from end to 
end. The drill point may be made from a file. Heat it cherry 
red and plunge it into beeswax again and again until it is cooled. 




FIDDLE DRILL. 

This makes it hard enough to take hold of glass. The point is 
imbedded in wood. A cap piece fits over the top and is held by the 
free hand. By pushing the bow back and forth the drill is rotated 
rapidly and soon begins to bite into the metal. It is a simple 
device and it will pay you to experiment with it now, so that when 
an emergency demanding its use arises you will have it in readiness. 

THE WIND WAGON 

We show you here a new and superior type of that interesting 
toy that has been called the "wind wagon." It is just the thing 
for beginners in aeronautics to experiment with, as it teaches the 
use of the propeller and the rubber-band power plant. If it has 



270 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



been carefully made the wagon will run nearly a hundred feet over 
a level surface with one winding. The point for you to under- 
stand is that the motion of the propeller flying around pulls it 
along just as a propeller forces a boat forward by its spiral motion 
through water, which, of course, has a greater resisting power and 
consequently a greater driving power. 

So far as the editor knows there are only two positive driving 
powers known, the wheel on a solid surface, and the propeller in 
a gaseous or liquid medium. 




THB WIND WAGON, 

The first thing to do in making the wind wagon is to cut out a 
three-cornered piece from a cigar box cover. It should be 5" long 
and taper in width from one-half inch to 3". Next cut the two 
upright pieces that go on the ends. Figure 5 shows the shape of 
the finished piece. The complete sketch shows how they fit on. 
The height of each should be 3". Between those two upright end 
strips we place a long strip to brace them and overcome the tension 
of the rubber band. Now put on your wheels. The front pair are 
tin disks bored with a piece of cork on the outside and a common 
pin for an axle. Each one is made and put on separately. They 
should move very freely and should rest even. If one is lower than 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 271 

the other the wagon will go in circles. The hind single wheel is 
made of a smaller tin disk, with bits of cork glued to the sides and 
a bent hairpin for an axle. Figure 3 shows it clearly enough. 

The propeller is made of fine wire twisted into shape and covered 
with tissue paper or silk. It might be cut out of wood. The shaft 
passes through two tin washers, marked "W" in Fig. 6, and between 
the washers is a bead, marked "X" in Fig. 6. The bead is simply 
to lessen the friction and gives greater power. The rubber band 
is fastened to the shaft and to a staple in the rear upright piece. 
To make the wagon go you turn the propeller until the rubber is 
twisted tight and then suddenly release it. Some prefer to use 
more than one small rubber band in preference to one large band. 
A wind wagon of any size may be made on the same principle, 
but, of course, in a really large one you would have to have an 
engine for power. You may place this toy on a small boat and it 
will propel it nicely. It demonstrates the great truth of propulsion 
through the air, and besides will yield you many happy hours both 
in the making and using. 

A REVOLVING WINDMILL 

A little moving toy that will yield pleasure and entertainment 
to every member of the family is here described. It is a windmill, 
whose blades will really turn in a most natural manner. The 
device that gives motion to the wheel is the new and interesting 
part of the toy and it will be explained first. Figure 5 shows each 
part of the arrangement in its proper relation to the others, and I 
want you to study it until you feel sure that you understand it 
thoroughly. Observe first the flat, round disk of cardboard with 
the three-cornered openings in it. Figure 3 shows how to draft 
this out. The black solid lines are cut through, the dotted lines 
indicate where the blades are bent down to an angle of 45 degrees. 
Now a wheel or disk of this type will turn if placed over a candle, 
steam radiator, stove, lamp or anything else that is sending up a 
current of heat. Look at Fig. 5. Note the candle under the disk. 
It will turn and by friction or contact will cause the small cork 
pully "E" to turn. As the arms of the windmill are on the same 
shaft, they, too, will turn. Now, a word of explanation concerning 
the other parts of Fig. 5. "I" is the wire shaft, "D" is a washer 



272 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



made of cork or cardboard, "F" is a small hatpin used as an 
upright shaft, "G" is a strip of cardboard with a hole in it, through 
which the hatpin passes and is thus steadied and held upright, "H" 
is a similar strip of cardboard, glued in, to form a resting place 
for the sharp point of the pin. 




A R^VOIvVING WINDMn,L. 

The cutting out of the parts that form the windmill will be easy 
if you follow the suggestions conveyed by the drawings. The 
large cylinder is shown by Fig. 2. You can tint it and cut in win- 
dows and doors to suit yourself. "B" is the conical roof, "A" and 
"C" are the railing pieces. Fig. 4 represents the arms or blades. 

When you have it all made and the parts neatly and accurately 
fitted together, light a candle which is firmly held down and place 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



273 



the lower end of the cyhnder over it. If you have made it right 
it will turn evenly and continually until the candle is burned out. 
If it will not turn you may be sure that you have not done your 
work well, and a careful examination should bring the defect 
to light. As a preliminary experiment make a disk of the type 
shown and suspend it with a thread over the lamp. It will turn 
all right and will suggest to you a power that might be employed 
to make any number or variety of toys move. 



A NEW PARACHUTE IDEA 

The parachute, in its various forms, has always been a favorite 
with boys. The idea is to make an umbrella-shaped contraption 



fiO.5 




A PARACHUTE. 

out of tissue paper and a stick, so that when it descends from any 
considerable height it will open out and float slowly to the ground. 
This part is easy enough. The trouble has always been in getting 
it up in the air high enough to repay one for his efforts in making 
it. Then came the idea that a common sling shot had propelling 
18 



274 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



power sufficient for this purpose and a little experiment proved 
that the thought was indeed a happy one. The combination of 
sling shot and parachute makes a very fascinating out-door amuse- 
ment device. Every time you shoot it into the air you try to make 
it go higher than the last time. 

To make the parachute, get a tough stick about 2 feet long 
and whittle it to a shape similar to Fig. 2. The bottom must be 
heavy enough to fall first, so that the parachute will fall in the right 
direction to be opened out. You can weight the end by tying a 
piece of lead or a spool on it. Cut your tissue paper to the shape 
shown in Fig. 4 and place a thread through every scallop. If the 
paper tears right through, a good plan is to reinforce the edges of 
the circle by pasting a strip of tough paper or muslin all around. 
A parachute made of silk or any fine mesh cloth will be much more 
lasting, but not quite as buoyant. 

The sling shot is made with a large rubber band, some string 
and a forked stick. The greater its propelling power, the more 
successful will the toy be. 

A HALLOWE'EN NOISE MAKER 

Nothing is more appropriate for Hallowe'en than a good noise 
producer. The one pictured here is an improvement of the familiar 
tick-tack. Instead of being worked by pulling a string, as in the 

Fig 1 




Fig 2 



Fig a 



A NOISE MAKER. 



case of the old device, it is given motion by turning a crank. First 
whittle out a nice handle "C" and nail to each side of it a small 
strip "B" cut from a shingle or cigar box. Next get two spools, 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



275 



choosing rather large ones with deep flanges, and notch one of 
them with a sharp knife, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. Pla,ce the 
notched spool between the ends of the flat strips and fasten it 
there by using a bolt or spike for an axle. The other spool is 
inserted between the strips near the handle and a wooden axle is 
used. This wooden axle fits tightly into the hole in the center of 
the spool, but loosely enough to turn freely in the holes through the 
strips. A piece of bent bicycle spoke or any stiff wire serves for 
a crank. Figure 3 illustrates the driving arrangement pretty 
clearly. A belt made of leather or cloth is placed around both 
wheels. The toy is used by placing it against a window pane and 
turning the crank. A distressing, ratchety noise will be the result 
and you will probably have to scamper away quickly in order to 
escape some one's wrath. 

A DIRIGIBLE 

A dirigible balloon is a gas bag that is equipped with apparatus 
to control its motion. This little model looks like one, but it is 



Fig.t 




Length 8" 

ng.z. \\ fjg'3' 




l'ig.4. 



A DIRIGIBI^E. 



276 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



mostly imitation. The top part which looks like a gas bag is a 
flat piece of light board or tin, marked with lines as shown. It 
is suspended from a wire clothesline by means of two double wires. 
The top of each is fitted with a pulley made from a spool as in 
Fig. 2. The bottom or low end of each forks out and is tied to the 
framework as in Fig. 4. The frame is a long rectangle made of 
pine sticks. Inside of the right end is a hook, to which is attached 
a rubber band. The other end of the rubber fits on a wire hook, 
which in turn goes through the center of a small tin propeller. 
This is made clear by Fig. 3. The "b" shows two small glass beads 
used as bearings. Twist the propeller twenty times, then release 
it and the airship will run along the wire. 



A FLYER 

Here is a little flyer that is easy to make. The body of it is a 
three-inch length of tin tube of the size you often used as a bean 



FtG.t 





^SS^^^jlmngtinfyr y "'"""""""'■$^^='»-'^? '^ 



A FLYER. 



blower. Upon each end of it is a tiny propeller fashioned out of 
a bent hairpin or, if possible, a piece of finer wire. The parts 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 277 

marked "BB" are glass beads used as bearings. Figure 2 shows 
a view of the inside. The twisted part at each end is the hairpin, 
the central section, marked "R," is the rubber band used as a power 
producer. To use the toy, twist the propellers in opposite direc- 
tions and release them while the tube is in an upright position. 
The height to which it will ascend will surprise you. This little 
.device illustrates the "pull" of the propeller used in aeroplane 
construction. The angle of the blades is the reason they go for- 
ward and drag the plane with them. As in fl}'ing a common kite, 
the tilt upward of the front end causes the fon^-ard motion of 
the plane to send it up. That is why you nm against the wind. 
But make the httle flyer and see for yourself. If you take pains 
to make it ver>" light and use an extra strong rubber, good results 
may be obtained. It is a good experiment for builders of model 
aeroplanes. 



CHAPTER VIII 
Some Novel Ideas and Hints 

THE SHOESTRING CHAIN OR FOB 

The drawings herewith show how a pretty and serviceable 
watch chain may be made out of a pair of common shoe laces. It 
is advised that all who wish to try the plan study the cuts care- 
fully, as they show all operations far more clearly than words can. 
First secure a pair of new strings or, for a long chain, four strings, 




and press them flat. Now draw a half -inch square on a small 
piece of card board and punch a hole through each corner. Through 
these holes thread your shoestrings as illustrated in the drawing 
marked "a." Now the most important operation, that is the 
plaiting, is clearly shown in cut "b." The strings simply cross 
each other at right angles and you may begin with any one you 
choose. The fourth and last strand goes under the loop, the others 

278 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



279 



go over the next to them. When you have made the square shown 
in "b," double right back and continue the same simple plait. 
It should not take you more than fifteen minutes to complete the 
job. When the chain is finished it does not look cheap and home- 
made, but, on the contrary, appears very neat and classy. A pretty 
effect is obtained by using laces of different colors, white and black, 
brown and red, or having four colors. The chain is finished by 
sewing the ends with proper colored thread. The ring and bar 
shown in the lower cut are placed through the last loops of each 
end before the sewing is done. 

A SKETCHING IDEA 

Nearly every boy has some talent for drawing and it is important 
that this talent be developed. The picture shows a simple arrange- 
ment by means of which you can draw objects of simple outline. 
The glass plate "B" should be ground with a piece of emery cloth. 
You can buy ground glass that will answer your purpose better, 




SKETCmNG. 

but any flat piece will do if it is rubbed with something gritty or 
rotated on a flat stone. When you have given it a dull surface, 
arrange it as shown in the sketch. A reflection of the object "A" 
will appear on the paper "C" and you can easily trace it. By this 
method you can draw the profiles of your friends and get a wonder- 
fully lifelike result. 



FRAMING PICTURES 

Here is a little scheme that you should be able to use to great 
advantage in decorating your room. Briefly stated, it is simply 



28o 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



casting a frame of plaster of Paris around the print you wish to 
preserve. If the picture is a round one, place it face down on the 
bottom of a shallow pan, being careful to get it in the center, so 
that there is the same distance from any point on the outside to 
the rim of the pan. Next make sure that the pan is level. Now 




FRAMING PICTURES. 

mix water with your plaster of Paris and be quick about it for it 
sets rapidly. When it is thin enough to pour, turn it into the pan 
and let the mass harden for about two days. It will stick a little 
to the pan, but by a little patient work on the edges with a knife 
you can remove it. You will then have a neat and serviceable 
frame. It can be tinted with paint or water colors. 



ASH SIFTER 

A simple ash sifter that will repay you for the time spent in 
making it is described below. Get a soap box and remove the top 
and bottom. Mark a curve along the lower edge of each of the 
ends and saw on it. This will cut away the pieces which hold it 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



281 



together, and you will need to add three short cleats as shown in 
"a," Fig. 3. Nail small strips inside the box as shown by "x," 
Fig. 2. They are supports for the ash pan. The latter, a square 
frame with a screen bottom, is pictured in Fig. 3. All that remains 




ASH SIFTER. 



is to fit a cover on the box. The way to use it is to place the shallow 
screen box on the rests, cover it up and rock back and forth until 
the fine ashes have sifted through. 



HOW TO REPAIR A CHAIR 

Many boys do not know how easy it is to repair worn-out cane 
seats in rockers and chairs or even replace them altogether, or 
we would not see so many of those saggy seats with holes in them. 
Boys! it is as easy as lacing up your shoes and a whole lot more 
interesting, for you can do the work as neatly as the most expert 
professional who charges your mother about seventy-five cents 
for a new seat in a chair or about a dollar and a half for a new back 
in the rocker. 



282 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

All you have to get is the cane reed, and you can get all of this 
you want at the nearest basket weaving establishment or furniture 
factory for twenty-five cents a bunch. There is enough in each 
bunch for two seats and some will be left over. When you get the 
reed it will be tough and stiff and you can't do a thing with it 
until it has been soaked in water. Take the whole bunch to the 
kitchen and fill your mother's dish pan full of cold water. Be sure 
to use cold water; if you use hot or warm water you will ruin the 
reeds. Place the bundle of reeds in the pan of water and put a 
weight on top so that all the reeds will be under water — let the 
whole thing stand for an hour. After one hour's soaking you will be 
surprised how the reeds have changed, they are now soft and 
pliable, like shoe strings, and you can bend them any way you 
like and even tie knots in them. 

The reeds will remain in this condition as long as they are water 
soaked and then is when you must weave the new chair seat. 
Examine the old seat carefully and you will see that the weave 
consists of two reeds side by side and then two more at right angles 
with about one-fourth of an inch space between each pair. This 
is carried out straight across the seat over its entire width and 
then again up and down, interlacing them at right angles. You 
must lace the reeds all in one direction first and then the next set 
crosses your first work up and down. This gives you square holes 
for openings. To make them octagonal, just like the original 
seat, begin at one corner and lace one reed diagonally across all 
the way down to the far corner; then begin at the opposite comer 
and lace back diagonally in the other direction. You will now see 
the little openings have eight sides just like the old seat had, and 
if you have been careful every one will be so perfectly shaped that 
an octagonal lead pencil will fit perfectly into each opening. But 
you say the seat you have just made is loose and sags some, not 
at all like the new cane seats should be. This will all come out in 
the drying, and you will be surprised in a day or so to find the new 
seat as tight as a drum head. All it needs now is a coat of varnish 
and your work is completed. After a little practice you will be 
able to weave two cane seats in one day just as good as the pro- 
fessional man, and your mother will be delighted to give you the 
price of the new cane seats. 



THE INDOOR AMERICAN BOY 



283 



SHOE TREE 

If you have any uses for a serviceable shoe tree, why get busy, 
that's all. First, procure the block, which is screwed to the wall. 



r/G.t 



r/0.2. 




It is 4I" wide and 9" long. Select a sheltered place on the rear 
wall of the house under the back porch, and screw it there, solid 



284 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

as a rock. Of course you first bore holes for the screws, each being 
just the size of the shank of the screw, so that the thread only- 
sinks into the wood. Also make sure that the screws go into a 
scantling and not the mere siding, which would not hold. You 
can easily tell where the scantlings are by noting where nails were 
driven to hold the siding on. Next begin to work on the piece 
which is marked "E" in Fig. i. Saw it out of a piece of plank to 
the shape and measurements shown in Fig. 4. To make the slot 
or mortise, use a hand saw and wood chisel. Next find a pair of 
hinges and put them first on the slot piece and then on the wall 
piece. In Fig. i you can see just how it looks when they are 
hinged together. The three-cornered piece closes like a door. 
Next get a piece of ash as hard and tough as a bone and cut it to 
the shape shown in Fig. 3. The idea of the shape is shown by 
"C" in Fig. I. The solid part of this piece, between the slots, is 
wedge shaped, so that when it is pushed up between the long 
sticks it has the same effect as a wedge. The sticks, "A" and 
"B," must be tough and durable. The inner one is fastened with 
two screws at the top and the outer one with one screw. "P" is 
an iron hook used to lock the parts in position. To raise "C" you 
must pull out the hook, and to hold it at any height simply poke 
it through another hole. The foot-shaped piece at the bottom of 
the movable strips can be easily shaped out of wood. Follow the 
lines of a shoemaker's wooden last, which you can see without 
trouble. The shaping is done with a pocket knife, round file and 
sandpaper. If it is to look neat it must be done slowly. 



PART II 
MISCELLANEOUS HELPS 



CHAPTER I 

Small Fur Bearers and How to Catch Them 

In every rural community there are fur bearers to take, whose 
pelts are valuable. Most boys know that by a few hours' work, 
before and after school, they can make their spending money for 
an entire year. 

In the first place, the skunk and civet cat become prime first — 
by prime is meant of first quality. After these come the raccoon, 
opossum, mink and muskrat. The last named fur bearer has not 
its best pelt until late winter and spring. 

The skunk and civet prefer rough, hilly country for their homes. 
Along old hedge fences are excellent places to look for them. 
The raccoon and opossum are found most frequently in wooded 
sections, near flowing water. The mink has its den, as a general 
rule, on small meandering creeks, where drift-wood and weeds 
furnish it plenty of protection. Around old bridges, in tiles, etc., 
are excellent places for traps. The muskrat usually seeks to build 
its den or house in or near shallow water. As a rule, the dens are 
along flowing streams; the houses in ponds or lakes. All of these 
animals, with the exception of the muskrat, can be attracted by 
meat. 

If new traps are purchased, each one should be carefully tested 
before it is set. If any are defective and cannot be fixed, they 
should be discarded. The loss of one prime pelt nowadays will 
usually buy a dozen good traps — sometimes even more. Remem- 
ber this when making sets. 

A good scent for the various fur bearers — the muskrat is not 
included — may be made as follows: Chop up some fish and place 

285 



286 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



the pieces in a common bottle. Let this stand in the sun until the 
contents are thoroughly rotted. A few drops of the fluid placed 
near a trap — never on the pan of it — will bring good results. 
Either Oil of Anise or Oil of Rhodium is considered a good decoy 
for the muskrat. 

To conceal a trap properly for a land set an excavation should 
be made. Over the set place a thin piece of paper — dark color 
is usually best — and conceal this with dust, grass, leaves, moss, 
etc. For a covering use just enough to hide the trap, and no more. 
If too much is used, the action will be hindered ; in all probabilities 
the jaws will not close. In this case the pelt is usually lost. It is 
also a good plan to cut or tear up grass or leaves used to conceal 




a trap, for by so doing there is less chance of clogging it. And, 
by the way, make all sets in water whenever possible. Except 
the skunk and civet cat very few animals will be taken with land 
sets made by beginners. 

All pelts should be placed on a steel or board stretcher. While 
the former is recommended as best, the latter is more universally 
used. The illustration will show the shapes. Furs should be dried 
in a cool shady place, never over a fire or in the sun. Use no salt 
on the skins. 

The skunk and civet cat are animals which are easily caught. 
Their animal instinct is not well developed ; in fact, they seem to 
have no fear of traps at all. Sets may not be covered, yet it is 
always advisable to do so. Many a wise old mink has increased 



MISCELLANEOUS HELPS 



287 



a trapper's catch that was caught in a set made for the skunk 
or civet cat. 

The easiest way to catch these animals is to place traps at the 
entrances to their dens, or in paths which the animals use. The 
two usually live in colonies, to a certain extent. That is, there are, 
in most cases, more than one or two to be had in the same locality. 
In fact, instances have been known where as many as fourteen 
skunks were taken from a single den. 

If a den is found, build a small pen near it of brush or rocks, 
guarding the entrance by one or more steel traps. Back of the 
trap place a piece of bloody meat. Then the set is complete. 
Another method is to stake down a dead chicken or rabbit. Around 




TRAP SET FOR SKUNK. 



it set several steel traps, about eighteen inches from the bait. 
This is a favorite set with many professional trappers. Or in the 
brush, about a foot from the ground, suspend a dead chicken. 
Place traps near, about a foot or two from the bait. The set is 
then complete. Dig a shallow pocket in the side of a clay bank, 
and in the back part place some meat. Use one or more traps to 
guard the entrance to the pocket, as the case may require. This 
set is one of the best. 

The muskrat is trapped by a greater number than all of those 
who seek the other fur bearers. It is found practically ever}^where 
in America. A large percentage of the animals are speared each 
year. Usually a speared pelt does not command as high a price 
as one which is trapped. 



288 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



The simplest way of taking the musquash — which is the Indian 
name for muskrat — is by locating slides and dens and placing 
traps at the foot of the former and in the entranceways of the 
latter. The traps in either case should not be covered by too much 
water. Many men prefer about three inches, as the animals are 
usually caught then by a hind leg, which renders it almost impos- 
sible for them to escape. Some trappers prefer the No. O traps 
for taking the muskrat, as they do not break the bones in an 
animal's leg when they snap upon it. 

Dip a small twig in Anise Oil and stick it, the end containing 
the decoy, about six inches above the water, where the stream or 
lake is very shallow. Incline the stick, placing one or more traps 



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A TRAP FOR SKUNK SET IN A CLAY BANK POCKET. 

almost directly under the end of the twig which contains the scent. 
This set may be relied upon at all times if care is taken that the 
water does not wash the decoy away. 

Place a parsnip on a stick, making a set similar to the one 
described. Upon the parsnip place Oil of Rhodium. If two shal- 
low pools of water can be found which are connected by muskrat 
runways, these trails are excellent places for traps. Often a dozen 
catches can be made within a few feet in one night. On leaves 
which overhang the water place a few drops of Oil of Rhodium. 
Set traps in shallow water near them. Sets m.ade in this manner 
often bring splendid results. 

It is well to place the stakes to traps set for the muskrat in deep 
water, though the trap itself should be covered by only about 



MISCELLANEOUS HELPS 



289 



three inches. Then when one is caught it will, in many instances, 
drown if the water is deep enough to cover the animal. 

The mink is one of the hardest of all fur bearers to trap. Its 
animal instinct is so well developed that it takes the greatest 




PARSNIP BAIT FOR MTJSKRAT. 



ingenuity of some of the best trappers to get its pelt. It is not 
recommended that the amateur risk many land sets when after 
mink. In case this kind of set is used, the trap or traps, as the 
case may be, should not be handled with the naked hands. Gloves 







A TRAP SET FOR MINK. 



with the palms coated with beeswax are advised. They should 
be used for no other purpose than that of setting and handling 
traps. Remember, in making all sets, everthing should look as 
natural before as after the traps have been placed. One learns 

19 



290 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

the value of this truth when after mink, for if it is not observed 
the result will be failure. 

A good method is to locate a runway which leads into the water, 
and place a trap at the foot of it. Excellent places may be found 
around old bridges, roots of trees, etc. Traps concealed at the 
entrances of tiles make the best sets for this animal. 

Dig shallow pockets into the bank of some small stream, just 
at the edge of the water. Have the back of the excavation higher 
than the front, so it will not be flooded with water. In this pocket 
place a piece of meat or fish. One trap, its spring covered with 
mud and just within the pocket, should guard the bait. Stake a 
piece of meat near the edge of the water, and build a small pen 
around it with rocks. Leave two or three entrances between the 
stones. In these place traps. It is well to cover the whole set 
with grass or light brush. In making sets of this kind, do not 
leave tracks in the mud near the traps. Further, drench the set 
and shore touched near it with water, so the human scent will be 
destroyed. A similar set may be made on shore with a dead 
chicken for bait. Use the feathers for covering the traps. 

The raccoon is easier to take in steel traps than the mink. It 
is very strong and a set for it should never be staked. Again, a 
bush fastening, unless large, should not be used, otherwise the 
trapper is likely to bemoan not only the loss of a pelt but a trap 
as well. The raccoon has powerful and sharp teeth, which it can 
use to a good advantage. 

The easiest way to take the raccoon is by a water set, made 
similar to those already described for mink. Use fish for bait. 
Along sand bars are favorite places to take the animals. Build 
pens facing the shore or bar, using apples or com for bait. On 
stones nearby, where the water will not wash it away, put a few 
drops of fish decoy, if any has been made. Traps may also be con- 
cealed in paths which the animals make into com fields. No bait 
is needed for a set of this kind. Sometimes pens like those already 
described may be used successfully. Build them near the 'coon 
trails — not on them. At the mouths of creeks, along old logs, 
around driftwood, etc., are ideal places to make sets for these 
animals. The opossum is easily taken, although its pelt is not 
very valuable. It is designated by the trade as "cheap fur." 
Make sets in leaves in localities which the animals frequent. 



MISCELIvANEOUS HELPS 



291 



Suspend a fish about eighteen inches from the ground. Place a 
trap, properly concealed, close to it. 

Many trappers ignorantly claim birds are good bait for the 
'coon and 'possum. This is not true. A bird of any kind is about 
the poorest of all meat baits. Do not experiment and lose valuable 
pelts. A trapper who tells you to use a bird for bait, not only for 
these but for other animals, is one who knows nothing about 
taking the pelts of fur bearers. Not as large a trap need be used 
for the opossum as for the raccoon. 

Do not be too enthusiastic about trapping, and start in on too 
great a scale. Purchase only a dozen or two traps to begin with; 
if you need more they can be gotten from time to time. Make 
every set carefully. It pays in dollars and cents. Sets should be 




AN OPOSSUM TRAP. 

visited every morning. It is best to remove all pelts from car- 
casses as soon as possible. If left too long, the fur frequently 
becomes tainted. Many times fur bearers will be found frozen 
in traps. Do not attempt to thaw them over a fire ; instead, place 
the animals in cold water until they can be skinned. Do not leave 
traps out too late. The skunk and civet cat become "springy" 
early in the season. By "springy" is meant begin to shed, lose 
color, etc. 

The best way to kill a mink is by stunning it with a club, and 
crushing its ribs in. Never smash the skull of any fur bearer, if 
possible, for by so doing a clot is left on the pelt. This does not 
directly affect the value of the fur, yet it is to the trapper's advan- 
tage to have his catch look as well as possible. 



292 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

Do fiot start out too early in the season after pelts. One prime 
one is worth a dozen which grade as "trash," usually. Do not 
make sets for such animals as the mink on land without the use of 
gloves. Do not set a trap until you test it before placing it in 
position. Some become defective after having been used once or 
twice. Do not remove a trap to another place because one animal 
has been caught. The chances are you can get two or three by 
getting it remain. 



CHAPTER II 
How to Run 

Nearly every boy can improve his style of running and increase 
his speed if he will practice a little. It might seem that running 
is purely a matter of strength and wind, and that people who have 
lived in the open air for generations, and who, like the American 
Indians, take a pride in manly strength, skill and speed, should 
be, almost to a man, the finest of runners. The Wild West novelist 
loves to introduce an Indian brave who runs with the grace and 
speed of a deer. But, as a matter of fact, the white man who can 
bring science to aid his muscle is more than a match for the Indian 
runner in all but the longest of the distance races. In a relay, or 
team race, in which the four fleetest Indians from the Carlisle 



c^ c^ 



Indian School were pitted against teams from some of the eastern 
colleges, among whom were Yale, Harvard, and Princeton, the 
Indians lost ground at every lap, and finished so far behind all the 
other teams that everyone was sorry they had not been pitted 
against some of the teams from the preparatory schools like Swarth- 
more and Haverford. 

While instruction in running ought to be personal and adapted 
to the peculiarities of the pupil, it is possible to point out a few of 
the more common faults and show how to overcome them. Let 
us consider, first, the feet. Almost every boy naturally turns 
his feet out. His feet are the reverse of pigeon-toed and in 
walking he makes tracks as in Fig. i . 

293 



294 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



When he runs this tendency is often exaggerated. Now suppose 
one foot is planted on the ground as in Fig. 2, in which the arrow 
shows the direction in which the runner is going. If he had planted 




his foot pointing straight ahead, as shown by dotted foot, his next 
step would start on the line "E-F" instead of on the line "C-D." 
The distance gained in this way generally amounts to about an 
inch and a quarter. Supposing that the runner strides eight feet, 




he would make 38 strides in running 100 yards, and if he gained 
an inch and a quarter on every stride, he would gain about four 
feet in going 100 yards. This is plenty to win or lose. 



MISCELIvANEOUS HELPS 295 

The Knees. In Fig. 3 we see the runner's leg from the hip down. 
If the knee is hfted to the position shown by the full line, the toe 
is over the point "A." But if the knee is lifted until the upper 
leg is horizontal, the toe is over the point "B." In this way the 
stride is lengthened by getting the full length of the upper leg into 
it. The toe should point downward, as shown at "C," and in 
coming down to the ground should follow the line "C-D." Prac- 
tice these motions while standing still, raising the knees alternately 
as high as the waist and taking a long step forward. Of course the 
heel should never touch the ground. 

The arms should not be doubled up to the chest. A runner is 
working with his legs and he only wastes his strength by cramping 
his arms up until they ache. The arms should hang full length. 
They should swing straight forward and back and not across the 
body. If swung in this way they help balance the body and also 
help to lengthen the stride. I have tried the experiment of tying 
the left arm of a runner behind his back and allowing him to swing 
his right arm. When he ran in this condition, in a place where his 
footprints could be seen, every stride made by the left leg would be 
six inches longer than the ones made by the right leg. 

The Hands Most runners use grips, so that their hands have 
something to clench on during a spurt. This is of doubtful benefit. 
If grips are wanted, however, corncobs make the very best. 

The breath in practice should be taken through the nose, as 
there is less danger of making the throat dry and sore. In a short 
race the breathing will take care of itself. In a long race breathe 
deeply in starting to get all parts of the lungs acting. 

The trousers should be short, so as not to bind and interfere with 
knee action. 

The shoes should be light and, if possible, should have short 
spikes in the soles to prevent slipping. 

Last. Do not jump up and down. You are not trying to jump 
fences, but to cover distance. Therefore the top of your head 
should move along in a straight line and not in a wavy line. 

Keep your eyes on the top of a fence as you run along beside it 
to see that your eye travels in a straight line parallel with the top 
of the fence. 

Pull on your feet. That is, as long as a foot is on the ground 
keep pulling on it as though it were an oar. You can best accom- 



296 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

plish this by practising tr>ang to pick up the pebbles with your 
feet and throwing them behind you. 

Practice with moderation at first. Pain in the chest, arms, and 
shoulders shows that you are cramping these muscles. Keep 
them relaxed. Aching in the muscles in front of the upper legs is 
a good sign, showing that you are lifting your knees more than 
usual. Aching in the calves is a good sign, showing that you are 
running on your toes. 



CHAPTER III 
Signalling for Boys 

Several, boys who know a little about signals can mystify a 
whole community by the curious and rapid way in which they 
keep each other informed. Of course the telephone could be used, 
if there were one, but there might not be one. And anyway, it 
is a bother to telephone; the other fellow. is sometimes not there 
when called or the line is busy. Also, anyone can telephone, but 
everyone cannot signal, and by signalling things can be done that 
even the telephone at its best could not do. 

Suppose three chums lived in the country some distance apart, 
but in sight of each other, and wished each other to know when 
they were at home. Each could keep a "private signal" displayed 
when home. This could be a flag, and mean, "I am at home." 
Yachtsmen often fly such a private signal to show when they are 
on board their yachts. This "private signal" can be designed by 
the owner, and if a flag, could show his originality and taste. But 
above all, it must be designed so that it can be seen from a dis- 
tance, that is, it must have the quality of visibility. 

This quality of visibility must never be forgotten in any sig- 
nalling arrangements. It depends upon a great many points. 
Some of these points are apparent, but all of them are not. Any- 
one knows that a signal station must be chosen so that it can be 
seen from the other signal stations, and so it can see them; also 
that the size of a flag or the strength of a light must bear some 
relation to the signal distance, a great distance requiring a large 
flag or a strong light. But everyone does not know that the back- 
ground against which the signals will best be seen must be consid- 
ered. At Guantanamo, Cuba, during the first part of the Spanish- 
American War, this requirement was illustrated in a striking man- 
ner. It was necessary for the American marines to signal from 
their entrenched position on a hill to a man-of-war. An attempt 
was made to wigwag from the protected position, but the signal 
could not be seen properly from the ship, and it was necessary for 

297 



298 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

the signalman ashore to stand on a ridge where he was outlined 
against the sky. But he was favorably outlined not only to the 
Nayy signalmen afloat, but also to the Spanish sharpshooters in 
the brush, who fired at him continually while he signalled. How- 
ever the signal was sent and received and the plucky sergeant 
was not hit. 

Another point is that a light of a certain strength can be seen 
at a less distance if a colored glass is used than if a clear one is 
used. This is because a colored glass acts something like a strainer 
and only permits part of the light to pass through it. Also, any 
small figures or complicated designs, the parts of which are neces- 
sarily small, should be avoided on a flag for distance signalhng. 
For example, the flag of Brazil is very handsome, but one must be 
close to it to see what it really looks like. This is also true of cer- 
tain royal standards, banners which are the "private signals" 
of kings or queens, and which are flown over palaces when the 
royal masters or mistresses are within. 

In this country many of our officials have special flags, which 
are really "private signals." When the President is on board a 
man-of-war, his flag, a blue one bearing the characteristic American 
eagle, is displayed at the main mast. The Secretary of the Navy 
has a blue flag bearing a white anchor and four white stars. Ad- 
miral Dewey's flag is like this, except that it has no anchor on it. 
A senior rear admiral's flag is blue with two white stars. 

But a private signal does not have to be a flag. For night it 
could be a light or combination of colored lights. When the 
captain is absent from a man-of-war a white light is displayed 
from a high position on the main mast, or in the case of an admiral, 
three white lights in a vertical row. A ship having the guard 
duty displays, at night, a red light at the top of the mast or truck. 

What are known as distant signals, or shapes, are employed in 
the merchant marines and navies of the world for daytime sig- 
nalhng at considerable distances. These consist of combinations 
of a square flag (any color), ball, cone with point up, cone point 
down, and cylinder. On men-of-war, in formation under way, cones 
are used to indicate to other ships what the engines are doing. 
This suggests that shapes could be used for a "private signal." 

This subject of a "private signal" has not been mentioned at 
such length because it is of first importance, but because there 



MISCELLANEOUS HELPS 299 

are interesting things about it, and anything said about it serves 
equally well as a start in describing signalling in general. It is 
really signalling in general that is to be written about here, and 
suggestions will be given, with some actual examples, so that by 
reading this article boys can actually signal. 

Signalling is intensely interesting to those engaged in that work 
aboard ship, and the signalmen and quartermasters are men of 
bright eyes and quick minds. Like many other things, it is both 
a business and a sport; and it is perfectly true to say that it is 
sport even when business. Signal hoist drills in the Navy are 
competitive, and the keenest interest is taken in them. 

A society or group of boys, or a troop of Boy Scouts, could use 
signals among themselves, and the meanings of the various 
signals could be kept secret from boys not in their society. At 
schools, summer houses, on yachts or boats, and particularly at 
summer camps, signals could be used not only for fun, but in 
maintaining the safety and routine of the camp. To think of a 
few of the possible uses, one can turn to the Navy, or Army, or 
to the Indians, and in the paths of peace, to the railroads, shipping, 
Weather Bureau, and many other users of signals. 

How very applicable to a boys' camp would be the signal (a blue 
flag with a white cross) used in the Navy for a General Recall. 
It means, "All boats return immediately." As each boat is num- 
bered, any one boat can be recalled by hoisting its number over 
the General Recall. 

There is also another very important signal used in the Navy 
called the Cornet. This red and white quartered flag means "All 
officers and men return aboard immediately." A gun may be 
fired to call attention to it. On board a man-of-war, when the 
crew is at meals, a red pennant is flown from the yardarm. A 
blue pennant, flying from the yardarm, indicates the ship of the 
senior or ranking ofiicer present, if below the rank of commodore. 
Commodores and admirals, as already mentioned, have special 
pennants or flags. These cases just given no more cover the great 
question of signalling in the Navy than the points mentioned in 
this article can cover all the possibilities of signalling for boys. 
Individual thought and ingenuity will uncover uses and methods. 

Suppose three boys, Allen, Butler, and Charles, wish to take up 
signalling among themselves. Each chooses the location of his 



300 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

signal station where he can see the others, and be seen. A mast 
should be erected. It could be on the house, and the signals made 
from a window, or it could be on the ground or on the bam. A 
mast might not be needed; some tall tree, pole, or building might 
serve. A flagpole already in place would be just the thing. It 
would be a good thing to have a yard or cross-piece near the top 
of the mast. At the masthead and at each yardarm a small 
block, or pulley should be secured. Through these blocks the 
signal halyards should be led, preferably of pliable woven line. 
These are "ropes" for hoisting the signals. On one end of the 
halyards a ring should be secured, on the other end a snap hook. 
The flag, shape, or lantern should have a snap hook at the upper 
part of it, and a ring at the lower part. This arrangement provides 
for easily "bending on" the signals for hoisting, and is the method 
followed in the Navy. At the base of the mast should be three 
cleats for securing the halyards. 

Each signalman should provide himself with three flags or three 
shapes and three lanterns. The flag should be of cheese-cloth or 
bunting, of rectangular or square shape, and colored red, yellow, 
and blue, respectively. Notice that their sequence is red, yellow, 
blue, one, two, three, like red, white, and blue. This is a little aid 
to the memory. The ring and snap hook that a flag is to carry 
should be secured to the ends of a piece of halyard line, which by 
a piece of "tabling" of duck or light canvas is stitched to the inner 
edge of the flag. This piece of line should be longer than the flag 
is wide, to provide for spacing the flags when hoisted. 

The shapes should be made of light canvas or duck, on wooden 
or wire frames, and painted as the background requires. They 
can and should be collapsible for convenience in stowing away. 
For example, the ball needs only a ring at the middle, the cone 
needs only a ring at the bottom, and the cylinder, a ring at each 
end. These shapes are ball, cone (point up), and cylinder, one, 
two, three, respectively, and in alphabetical order. 

The lanterns could be ordinary oil lanterns, red, white, and 
green, respectively. These colors can be made by colored glasses, 
preferably, or by wrapping colored bunting around the clear glass. 
Notice that the lanterns follow the regular order easy to remember, 
like red, white and blue, that is, red, white, green, one, two, three, 
respectively. 



MISCELLANEOUS HELPS 301 

Each signalman should have a telescope or field glass if the dis- 
tances are to be great. Each one should have a record book, and 
record in it each signal sent or received, with the exact time and 
date, from whom sent, and by whom received. 

One boy can run a signal station, but if there are two or more 
it can afford work for all and the signalling will be faster. Thus, 
one could bend on signals and hoist, and one could read the others' 
signals and record. 

The boys are now prepared to signal by any of the three methods, 
flags, shapes, or lanterns. Shapes can be seen from any point of 
the compass, regardless of the direction of the wind, which is not 
true of flags. They are a little harder to make and a little more 
expensive. As flags and shapes are both methods of day signalling, 
it is not necessary to have both outfits. 

In any outfit there are three elements, and they can be combined 
in fifteen different and distinct ways, thus making fifteen signals 
or hoists. A meaning is given to each hoist or signal. 

In signalling, one reads a signal hoist from the top. For example, 
123 is (with flags) red flag uppermost, then yellow, then blue. 
Or with shapes, 123 would be ball, cone, cylinder. With lanterns, 
it would be red, white, green. 

Now to be able actually to transmit signals and receive prompt 
replies a lookout must be kept, at least at certain times agreed 
upon. If man-of-war routine is followed by our signalmen regard- 
ing the "colors," or American flag, they will hoist it at eight each 
morning. This would be a good time to exchange signals. In 
a camp, or boat, one boy could be detailed as lookout signalman, 
and a continuous watch kept; or a gun could be fired to call atten- 
tion to a signal, and no lookout would be required. 

For the transmission of signals there must be continuous under- 
standing between all concerned, and the rules of signalling are 
based upon that requirement. 

There must be a way "to call" another station — to say, "I am 
calling you, Allen." There must be a way of saying, "I see your 
call" or "I see your signal." This is called "answering" or "ac- 
knowledging." Generally a pennant is used for this purpose, 
but it can be done another way and a pennant saved. 

There must be a way of making "interrogatory," which means, 
"I can't see well" or "I don't understand." There must be a 



302 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

way to say "I have finished signalling," and a way to "answer" 
that. The rules given here are made hard and fast simply in order 
to be definite. There are numerous other ways of doing these 
things. For convenience, some of what has already been said is 
shown in Table First. Table Second shows the meanings assigned 
the signals or hoists. When reading a signal, or recording or speak- 
ing about it, say "one, two, three," or "two one," or whatever it 
may be. The Roman numerals are reference numbers whose use 
will be indicated later. 

B wishes to reply "yes" to A. A, having invited B, keeps a good 
lookout for a "caU" from B. B now calls A, and A answers, and 
signals V. Affirmative (or yes) is sent by B to A in the manner 
just described. 

The illustration given has shown the "private signals," how to 
"call," how to "answer" (or acknowledge), both when the call or 
hoist is displayed and when hauled down, and how to show that 
the signal is finished. The "private signal," or "call," it will be 
noticed, means any one of several things at different times, accord- 
ing to circumstances, and that without chance of mistake. The 
receiver should display signal IV (Interrogatory) if he cannot see 
or understand the signal made. The sender acknowledges this 
by hauling down, whereupon the receiver hauls down "Interrog- 
atory." "Interrogatory" also makes a question of another signal 
made after it. For example: IV — VIII — X means "Will you 
come over for tennis?" 

The "Affirmative" means "Yes," or "Duty completed," or "I 
am ready." It means "yes" unless other circumstances indicate 
clearly one of the other meanings. "Negative" means "No," 
or preceeding another signal puts it in the negative sense. For 
example: VI — VIII — X means "Do not come over for tennis." 

Signal XIII (Hour) is a special one for indicating the hour of 
day. It means that the one hoist next following is to be given its 
Roman numeral value and mean that hour of the day. For 
example: XIII— X means "Ten A. M.," and XIII— XIII— X 
means "Ten P. M." 

The "General Call" (XV) calls all the other signal stations. 
They answer in the regular way, that is, by dipping their calls. 
Now an example will be given of a longer signal. Suppose Allen 
wished to signal all the others to be at the Country Club the next 



MISCELLANEOUS HELPS 303 

morning at ten to play tennis. The required hoists would be XV — 
XIV— IX— XIII— X—X. 

The use of signal XIII, giving another (or secondary) meaning 
to the first twelve hoists, suggests that third meanings could be 
given to all hoists if desired. 

For example, signal XIV could be assigned the meaning, "Give 
the third meaning to the one signal next following." Then the 
third meaning assigned the first seven hoists could be the days of 
the week. To VIII, "Rally at the regular meeting place"; to 
IX, "I will join you"; to X, "Ask the family," and so on. This 
suggestion is merely to show how more signals can be made with 
this same apparatus without adding to it. Of course, by adding 
even one more element, such as one red flag, one ball, or one red 
lantern, the number of original, primary signals can be greatly 
increased. The important thing for young signalmen to do is to 
study the possibilities of their apparatus, and their codes can be 
made very extensive and, therefore, very useful. 

The example just given illustrates the following general rules: 

To call one signal station, hoist the "call" of the station to be 
signaled. 

To call all signal stations, hoist the "General Call." 

To answer a call or a hoist, the station called dips its call. 
Should it be called when its "private signal" (own call) is not dis- 
played, it should, in order to answer, hoist its own call, and then 
dip it. The fact that the sender has hauled down is acknowledged 
(or answered) by the receiver hoisting his call all the way up. 

To indicate "End of Signal" the sender hoists his call all the 
way up. 

To answer "End of Signal" the receiver dips his call, which is 
the regular way for answering, but as the end has been indicated, 
he then hoists his call all the way up. 

Nothing has been said about wireless telegraphy, a most im- 
portant and efficient form of signalling, as it is a subject in itself. 
Nothing has been said about sound signalling, by whistle, bell, or 
gun, nor about semaphore signalling, night or day, nor about 
signalling with rockets and colored stars projected like Roman 
candles, nor about flashing lights, searchlight, or blinker light, 
using mechanical shutter or electric key, and almost nothing about 
the wig^^ag. Perhaps another time these v/ill be told about, with 
adaptations of them suggested for the use of boys. 



304 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



The subject of signalling is a vast and interesting one. None 
of us can know all about it, but most of us could learn something 
about it. It would be fun and it would be useful. In some time 
of public calamity, like flood or fire or wreck, a little knowledge 
of signalling might enable some boy to render a great public service, 
to save many lives. 

TABLE FIRST. 
Element No. Flags. Shapes. Lanterns. 

I Red Ball Red 



Yellow 
Blue 



Cone 
Cylinder 



White 
Green 



TABLE SECOND. 



Signal Reference No. Hoist. 



Meaning. 



I. 


I 


IL 


2 


III. 


3 


IV. 


12 


V. 


13 


VI. 


21 


VII. 


23 


VIII. 


31 


LX. 


32 


X. 


123 


XI. 


132 


XII. 


213 


XIII. 


231 


XIV. 


312 


XV. 


321 



Allen's call. Also his private signal. 

Butler's call. Also his private signal. 

Charles' call. Also his private signal. 

Interrogatory. 

Affirmative. 

Negative. 

Cancel: Once, Last Hoist; Twice, Last Message. 

Rally here. 

Tomorrow. 

Tennis. 

Baseball. 

Football. 

Hour: Once, A. M.; Twice, P. M. 

Rally at the regular meeting place. 

General call. 



Allen 



Butler 




An example of the way of signalling 
will now be given, using shapes. Ex- 
actly the same rules are followed using 
the other methods. Initials will be used in 
referring to the boys. 

Both are home; their " private signals" 
are displayed. That is, each is flying his 
own "call." 



Now suppose that A wishes to ask B to 
come over. 

A hauls down his call. 




MISCELLANEOUS HELPS 



305 



Allen 



Butler 






' A then hoists B's call. B "answers" by 
dipping his call, that is, by hauling it part 
way down, but keeping it displayed. This 
is the regular way of "answering" any call 
or hoist. 



A sees that B answers him, and hauls 
down B's call. B "answers" by hoisting 
his own call, showing he has seen A haul 
down. This is the regular way of "answer- 
ing" the sender's "haul down." 



A hoists signal 31 (VIII — Rally here), 
and B answers by dipping his call. 









A sees that B answers, and hauls down 
signal VIII and B answers that by hoist- 
ing his call. 



A has finished, and shows it by hoisting 
his own call. B answers by dipping his 
caU. 



B then hoisting it again, A thus sees 
that B answers. This finishes that sig- 
nalling, and to signal any more, one or the 
other must make a "call." 






PART III 
ROPEWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 



CHAPTER I 

Simple and Useful Knots 

ThS simplest knot that is made is the overhand knot (Fig. i). 
It is very useful, and forms a part of many other knots. To 
make it, the standing part of the rope — that is, the main part in 
opposition to the end — is held in the left hand, and the end of the 




PIG. 1. — OVERHAND KNOT. 



rope is passed back over it (whence its name) and put through the 
loop thus formed. It is used at the end of a rope to prevent the 
strands unlaying, and sometimes in the middle of a rope as a 
stopper knot. If the end of the rope is passed through the "bight" 




FIG. 2. — FOURFOLD OVERHAND KNOT, LOOSE AND TAUT. 

or loop two, three, or more times before hauling it taut, the double, 
treble, or fourfold knot, "A" (Fig. 2), is obtained. This is a larger 
knot than Fig. i, and is often used on the thongs of whips, being 
then termed a blood knot. "B" (Fig. 2) shows the knot hauled taut. 

307 



3o8 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



Figure i also goes by the name of the StafTordshire knot, as it 
forms the insignia of the county. A Flemish or figure-of-eight 
knot is shown by Fig. 3. To make it, pass the end of the rope 
back, over, and round the standing part, and up through the first 
bight. The Flemish knot is used for much the same purposes as 
the preceding knots, but is rather more ornamental. 

The bight of a rope is the loop formed when a rope is bent back 
on itself, in contradistinction to the ends. 




FIGURB-Or-EIGHT KNOT. 



The conditions under which the ends of two pieces of cordage 
have to be joined together are various, and several methods are 
brought into requisition; but it is always of considerable import- 
ance that the most suitable knot be employed in each case. The 
value of some knots consists in the rapidity with which they can 
be made, of others in the readiness with which they can be undone ; 
but it is an essential that the knot holds firmly and does not slip 
when once hauled taut. 




FIG. 4. — sailor's knots OR REEF KNOTS. 



The commonest knot for joining the ends of two ropes, and 
probably the knot that is most often made, is the sailor's true, or 
reef knot (Figs. 4 and 5). When correctly made it is as perfect as 
a knot can be. It can be made and undone with equal rapidity, 
and is very secure when taut. Its one disadvantage is that it will 
not answer when made with ropes of different sizes, as it then 
slips and comes adrift, but where the two pieces of cordage are 



ROPEWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 309 

of the same size it is most secure and reliable, the strain being 
equally distributed on every part. It requires a little practice to 
make it properly. To do this, take an end in each hand and lay 
one over the other, the right end being undermost; bring the left- 




FIG. 5. — REEF KNOT, HALF-MADE. 

hand end under the standing part of the right end, as shown at "A" 
(Fig. 5), and over the end at "B," round it, and up through the bight 
at "C." The key to the knot is the putting of the right end under 
the left when the two ends are crossed at the beginning of the 




FIG. 6. — GRANNY OR LUBBER'S KNOT. 



knot, as the left-hand end then comes naturally first over and then 
round the other rope, and the ends lie parallel with the standing 
parts, as at "A" (Fig. 4). 




7. — GRANNY KNOT, TAUT. 



If the ends are not passed correctly, a granny, lubber's, or calf 
knot results. This is shown in Fig. 6. Though at first sight this 
seems to be a good knot, yet it is not so in reality, and when any 
strain comes upon it it slips and becomes useless. Figure 7 is a 



3IO THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

granny knot, as it appears when hauled upon. It is considered 
a very lubberly thing to make a granny knot, and readers should 
practise until they can make a true knot rapidly and with cer- 
tainty in any position. 

The sailor's knot is invariably used for reefing sails, the ease 
with which it can be undone making it very valuable for this 
purpose. It is only necessary to take hold of the two parts on 
each side just outside the knot and bring the hands together, and 
the loops slip over one another, as in Fig. 4, and the knot can be 
opened at once. 

This knot has a curious peculiarity which is not generally 
known. If the end of one of the ropes is taken in one hand and the 
standing part of the same rope in the other, and both are hauled 
until the rope is straight, the knot becomes dislocated, so to speak, 
and the rope not hauled upon forms a hitch, "B" (Fig. 4), round the 
other part. This property was the secret of Hermann's celebrated 
trick, "the knotted handkerchiefs." After the handkerchiefs, 
knotted together at the corners, were returned to him by the 
audience, under pretence of tightening the knots still more, he 
treated each knot as has been described. The knots seemed firm, 
but really were loosened so that a touch with his wand separated 
them easily. 

The common bow or rosette knot is a modification of the sailor's 
knot. The first part of the process of making it is the same, but 
instead of passing one end singly over and under the other, as in 
the sailor's knot, both ends are bent back on themselves, and the 
double parts worked as before. Care must be taken to pass these 
doubled ends exactly as those described in the sailor's knot, or 
a granny bow will result. Some persons' shoes always come untied, 
the reason being that they are tied with granny instead of true 
bows. 

Another way of joining the ends of two pieces of cordage is 
shown in Fig. 8. This is merely an overhand knot, made with two 
ropes instead of one. Sometimes it is called an openhand knot. 
It can be made very quickly, and there is no fear of its slipping, 
but if there is much strain put upon it the rope is very apt to 
part at the knot, in consequence of the short "nip," or turn, that 
it makes just as it enters the knot. 

Figure 9 shows the weaver's knot partly made, and Fig. 10 the 



ROPKWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 311 



same knot completed, but not hauled taut. Weavers call this the 
"thumb knot," as it is made over the thumb of the left hand, and 
is used by them in joining their "ends" as they break. The ra- 
pidity with which they make the knot, snip off the ends, and set 
the loom going again is wonderful. Netters use this knot to join 





FIG. 8. — OVERHAND ROSETTE KNOT OR 
BOW. 



FIG. 9. — weaver's knot, hai<f-made. 



their twine, and it also forms the mesh of the netting itself, though, 
of course, it is then made in a very different way. In making 
the weaver's knot, the two ends to be joined are crossed in the 
same way as in the sailor's knot, placing the right end under, 
and holding them with the thumb and finger of the left hand at 




FIG. 10. — weaver's knot, closed. 

the place where they cross. The standing part of the right-hand 
rope is then brought back over the thumb and between the two 
ends, as shown in Fig. 9. The end "A" is then bent down over it, 
and held with the left thumb, while the knot is completed by 
hauling on "B." 



312 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

An excellent way of joining two ropes is illustrated by Fig. ii. 
The ends are laid alongside one another, overlapping each suffi- 
ciently to give room for the knot to be made. The double parts 
are then grasped in each hand and an overhand knot is formed, 
which is made taut by hauHng on both parts at once, as if the knot 
were single. 

Though the above is the easiest way to make the knot, it is not 
available where the ropes are fast. In this case a simple knot is 




OVERHAND KNOT JOINING TWO ROPES. 



made on the end of one rope, but not drawn taut. The end of 
the other rope is passed through the bight of the first, and a second 
loop formed with it alongside the first. The knot is closed by 
drawing the two ropes as before. This is in every way an excellent 
knot, and very secure. 

Figure 12 shows the ends of two ropes joined by means of a 
Flemish knot. It does not require much description, and is made 
after the manner of the knot last described. 




FIG. 12. — FLEMISH KNOT JOINING TWO ROPES. 

The fisherman's knot (Fig. 13) derives its name from the fact 
that it is always used for joining silkworm gut for fishing purposes. 
In making it the strands are made to overlap one another, and 
an overhand knot is made with one end round the other strand. 
The strands are turned round, and another overhand knot made 
with the other end round the first strand. When the knot is tight- 
ened by hauling on the standing parts, one knot jams against the 
other and holds securely. The knot is improved by putting the 
ends twice through their respective loops, as at "A" (Fig. 2, p. 307). 



ROPEWORK EVERY BOY SHOUI.D KNOW 313 

The size of the knot is increased by this means, but it will stand 
a much heavier strain, so that it is advisable to do this whenever 
the size of the knot is not of paramount importance. 



FIG. 13. — fisherman's knot. 

The whipcord knot (Fig. 14) is used to fasten the lash to a whip. 
The lash "B" is laid across the ends of the thong "A," which are 
turned up over it. The lash is brought completely round the thong 
and through the loop it makes, which secures the ends of the thong 




FIG. 14. — WHIPCORD KNOT. 

firmly. If a silk lash is used, the short end is cut off, but if whip- 
cord, the two ends are generally twisted together for a few inches, 
as at "B," and an overhand knot made with one end round the 
other, to secure them. The remaining part is left somewhat longer, 
and another overhand knot at the end prevents it from unravelling. 



CHAPTER II 

Eye Knots, Hitches, and Bends 

0ns of the simplest eye knots is shown by Fig. 15, and is known 
as the "running" or "sHp knot." A bight is first formed, and an 
overhand knot made with the ends round the standing part. 




FIG. 15. — RUNNING KNOT. 



PIG. 16. — fisherman's eye knot. 



The last named may be drawn through the knot, and the eye made 
to any size required. There is less chance of the knot coming 
undone if an overhand knot is made on the end "A." With this 
knot a sailor ties his neck-handkerchief. 



314 



ROPKWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 315 

Figure 16 is the "fisherman's eye knot." A bight is first made of 
sufficient length, and an overhand knot formed with the standing 
part round the other strand; the end is now passed round the 
standing part, and knotted as before. Thus there is a running 
knot, "A," with a check knot, "B," which, when hauled upon, jam 
tight against one another, and hold securely. This is one of the 
best knots for making an eye in fishing, as the strain is divided 
equally between the two knots. 

A common way of making an eye on the end of a piece of cord is 
illustrated by Fig. 17. It is practically the same knot as Fig. 8 
(p. 311), except that only one rope is used. The end is brought 





FIG. 17. — OPENHAND EYE KNOT. 



FIG. 18. — FLEMISH EYE KNOT. 



back along the rope to form the eye, and an overhand knot made 
with the two parts. This knot, from being so easily made, is often 
used, but it lacks strength, like the openhand knot (Fig. 8), and 
should not be used where it is required to bear much strain. It 
will have been noticed how very often openhand knots form the 
component parts of other knots. 

Figure 18 is an eye made with a "Flemish" knot. It is worked 
just the same as a single Flemish knot (Fig. 12, p. 312), the only 
difference being that two parts are used instead of one. It is 
stronger, but clumsier, than the one just described, and is not 
much used. 

The "crabber's knot" (Fig. 19) is a curious and not very well- 



3i6 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

known knot, but it is unlikely to part when strained. To make 
it, bring the end back to form a loop, taking it first under and then 
over the standing part, up through the main loop, over the stand- 
ing part again, and up through its own bight. Before the turns 
are hauled into their places, the knot will slip on the part "A," 
as in an ordinary slip knot; but if the part "B" is hauled upon, 
the strand "A," which passes through the center of the knot, 
rises, and the coil which goes round it jams, making the knot 
secure; so that it may be used as a running knot or otherwise, as 
desired. This is also called a running knot with crossed ends. 




FIG. 19. — crabber's knot. 

The "bowline knot" (Fig. 20) cannot slip, and is therefore always 
used for slinging a man for the purpose of doing some particular 
piece of work; the workman sits in the sling. The end is first laid 
back over the standing part, so as to form a loop; the end is then 
passed up through the loop, round the back of the standing part, 
and down through the loop again. Hauling on the end and the 
standing part makes the knot taut. 

A modification of this knot, called a "Bowline on a Bight," 
is shown by Fig. 21. The loop is made as in the previous knot, 
only with the two parts of a doubled rope ; the bight is then passed 
up through the loop, opened, and turned backward over the rest 
of the knot, when it appears as illustrated. To untie it, draw the 
bight of the rope up until it is slack enough, and bring the whole 
of the other parts of the knot up through it, when it will readily 
come adrift. If the standing parts of the rope are held fast, it 
puzzles the uninitiated to undo it. 



ROPEWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 317 



A "Running Bowline" has the knot made on the end after it 
has been passed round the standing part, thus forming a loop 
through which the main rope will run. Two ropes may be joined 
together by making a bowline in the end of one of them, and put- 
ting the end of the other through the bight, and forming with it 
another bowline on its own part. This is often used to join hawsers 
together. 





FIG. 20. — BOWLINE KNOT. 



PIG. 2 1 . — RUNNING BOWLINE ON BIGHT. 



Figure 22 shows a method of making a rope fast to a post or pillar. 
The rope is doubled and passed round the post, and the ends put 
through the loop. For greater security, the ends may be passed 
round the standing part and through the bight thus formed, as 
in Fig. 23; or, instead of passing the cords through the bight, a 
loop may be formed by doubling the ends, and this loop put through 
the bight, thus forming a slippery hitch. This knot has the ad- 
vantage of being more readily undone than the other one, as it is 
necessary merely to pull at the ends, and the rope is released at 
once. The ends may also be secured by making a Flemish knot 
on them, instead of an overhand knot. 

The remainder of this chapter will discuss a different class of 
fastenings. It is not easy to state, however, where knots end and 



3i8 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



bends and hitches begin; indeed, a tie that, in certain circum- 
stances and made a particular way, is called a "knot," differently 



FIG. 22 



PIG. 23 




PIGS. 22, 23. — RUNNING KNOT WITH TWO ENDS, LOOSE AND FASTENED. 

constructed, and under other conditions, is called a "bend" or 
"hitch," though the result is the same in both cases. As an illus- 




FIG. 24. — TWO HALF HITCHES. 



tration, take two half hitches (Fig. 24), which, if made in another 
way round a pole, are called a "builder's knot." If readers will 



ROPEWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 319 

analyse the knots illustrated throughout this book they will find 
several other similar instances. "A" (Fig. 24) is a single hitch, 
being merely a loop formed in a rope. This is readily done by 
holding the rope in the left hand, and giving it a twist with the 
right; the loop then forms itself, as it were. When a tightly laid 
piece of cordage is twisted, these loops are apt to rise and form 
"kinks," which are very objectionable, as the cord is sure to part 
at the kink when a strain is put on it. It is still worse in the case 
of wire, which breaks readily when kinked. Tight, hard cordage 
should always be well stretched before it is used, to avoid kinking. 
Two half hitches (Fig. 24) are a useful knot for a variety of 
purposes, as they are quickly made, and will not slip, no matter 
what strain is put upon them — indeed, the more they are hauled 
upon, the faster they hold. They are the best means of making a 




FIG. 25. — builder's knot, or clove mTCH. 

rope fast to a hook. First one hitch is sHpped on, and then the 
other on the top of it, and the rope is fast in less than two seconds. 
This knot is used by surgeons in reducing a dislocation of the 
thumb joint. 

Figure 25 is the builder's knot, merely two half hitches, but, as 
it is used in places where the hitches cannot be passed over the 
ends of the timber, it is made by holding one end in the left hand, 
passing the rope round the pole, under the end, round the pole 
again, above the first part, and under its own part; from its non- 
liability to slip laterally this knot is always used to fasten one 
pole to another in fitting up scaffolding, from which circumstance 
it has acquired its name. If, instead of beginning the knot as in 
Fig. 25, the end is passed, after it has gone round the pole, two or 
three times round the other part, as in Fig. 2 (p. 307), the remainder 



320 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

of the knot is rather more easily made, as it holds itself taut, and 
will not slip while the end is put round to complete the fastening. 

A "builder's double knot" is made in the same way, except that 
the end goes round again, as before, and underneath its own part, 
so making it much stronger. When a builder's knot is made on a 
rope for the purpose of securing a small line to a stout rope, it is 
called a "clove hitch." 

The "timber hitch" (Fig. 26) is a rough and ready way of secur- 
ing a piece of timber or anything similar; it is made by bringing 
the end of a rope round the timber, then round the standing part, 
and then, taking two or more turns, round its own part. The 




FIG. 26. — TIMBER HITCH. 

pressure of the coils one over the other holds the timber securely, 
and the more it is hauled on, the tighter it holds. It can be cast 
off readily. 

Figure 27 is the "killick hitch," a modification of the timber 
hitch, used for fastening a stone to the end of a rope. After making 
a timber hitch and hauling it taut, a single hitch is made, and 
slipped over the end of the stone alongside of it. Some of the best 
fishing grounds are on rocky coasts where an anchor would not 
hold; and if it did, there might be considerable risk of losing it 
altogether, from its jamming in the crevices of a rock. In these 
places a killick, or large stone, slung as shown in Fig. 27, is used, 



ROPHWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 321 

which holds the boat by its own weight, without any risk of getting 
fast to the ground. 

The "magnus hitch" (Fig. 28) is a method of securing a rope to 
a spar, as there is but Httle tendency to sHp endways along the 




FIG. 27. — KlhtflCK HITCH. 




FIG. 2 



MAGNUS HITCH. 



spar. In making it, take the end of the rope twice round the spar, 
in front of the standing part, round the spar again, and then 
through the last bight. 





FIG. 29. — fisherman's bend. 



FIG. 30. — ROLLING HITCH. 



The "fisherman's bend" (Fig. 29) consists of two round turns 

round a spar, and a half hitch round the standing part, and 

through the turns on the spar, and another half hitch above it, 

round the standing part. It is used for bending studdingsail hal- 

21 



322 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



Hards to the yard, and, in yachts, for bending on the ga£F topsail 
haUiards. 

A "rolling hitch" (Fig. 30) is made by taking three round turns 
round a spar, and then making two half hitches round the standing 
part of the rope, and hauling taut. 




FIG. 31. — TOPSAIL HALLIARD BEND. 



FIG 




RACKING HITCH. 



The "topsail halliard bend" (Fig. 31) is used chiefly on board 
yachts, and is made by bringing the rope twice round the spar, 
back round the standing part, under all the turns, over two turns, 
and under the last. This hitch is shown open for the sake of clear- 
ness, but in practice it is usual to jam the coils close together, and 
haul them all taut. 




FIG. 33. — SLIPPERY HITCH. 

Figure 32 is a "racking hitch," for hitching a rope on to the hook 
of a block. Two bights are made in a rope, these are turned over 
from the operator two or three times, and the two loops are put 
on to the hook. This is sometimes called a "cat's paw." 



ROPEWORK EVERY BOY SHOUIvD KNOW 323 

The value of the "shppery hitch" (Fig. 33) consists in the readi- 
ness with which it can be cast off in case of emergency ; at the same 
time, it holds securely while there is a strain on the rope "A." 
If the mainsheet of small boats is made fast at all, always a more 
or less risky proceeding, a slippery hitch should always be used as 
a start. A sharp pull at the end of the rope lets the sheet go at once. 

For the "carrick bend" (Fig. 34) lay the end of a rope over the 
standing part to form a loop ; put the end of another rope under the 
bight over the standing part at "A," under the end at "B," over 
the rope again at "C," under its own part, and over the rope "B," 
and haul taut. The parts "A" and "B" form the first loop made. 




FIG. 34. — CARRICK BEND. 



This bend generally is used for binding hawsers together, to in- 
crease their length for warping or towing. It can be undone readily 
without the aid of a pricker or marlinespike, which would have to 
be used for many knots after they had been in the water. As in 
the sailor's knot, it is only necessary to grasp the ropes just out- 
side the knot, and push the loops inward, and the knot comes 
adrift at once. 

Figure 35 shows the clew of a sail, and the method of bending 
the sheet on to it. This is termed a "sheet bend." The sheet is 
not, as many suppose, a part of the sail, but is a rope used in setting 
a sail, to keep the clew or lower corner of the sail down to its 



324 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



place. In making a sheet bend, the end is passed up through the 
clew, round the back of it, under its own part, and over the clew 
again. The end is generally stopped to the standing part with 
rope yarn or other small stuff. The knot thus formed is exactly 
the same as the weaver's knot (Fig. lo, p. 31 1). Figure 36 shows a 
method of giving additional security to this knot. The end is 




FIG. 35. — BENDING SHEET TO CLEW OF SAIL. 

passed twice round the back of the loop before putting it under 
its own part. This knot is very much used by fishermen in bend- 
ing a line on to a loop of gut. 

Another and somewhat more complicated method of bending 
a rope on to a loop is illustrated by Fig. 37. "B" is the standing 
part, and "A" the end of the rope to be bent on a loop already 




FIG. 36. — MORE SECURE SHEET BEND 



BENDING ROPE TO LOOP. 



formed. Pass the end down through the loop, round over its own 
part, and through the loop, round the back of it, and through its 
own bight. When hauled taut, this holds more securely than 
either of the other methods, but, on the other hand, takes longer 
to make. 

The "Blackwall hitch" (Fig. 38) is a ready way of securing a rope 
temporarily to a hook. The method of making it is evident from 



ROPEWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 325 



the illustration. As the standing part when hauled upon jams 
the end against the back of the hook, it holds much more firmly 
than would be supposed at first sight. 

The "midshipman's hitch" (Fig. 39) is an old-fashioned hitch, 
used for attaching a tail -block to a rope. A round turn is first 
made over the standing part, and the end is brought up, passed 
twice round above the first hitch, and then passed out underneath 
its own part. 





FIG. 38. — BLACKWAUL HITCH. 



FIG. 39. — midshipman's mTCH. 



The "marlinespike hitch" (Fig. 40) is used for getting a purchase 
on the seizing stufif when serving a rope, so as to leave the turns 
taut. Make a bight in the seizing stuff, and bring it back over the 
standing part; pass the marlinespike under the standing part, 
and over the sides of the bight. This is practically identical with 
the running knot (Fig. 15, p. 314). 

Figure 41 is a "regulating lashing," used when the tension of a 
rope requires altering from time to time. Tent ropes are secured 
this way, as they require easing in wet weather, and tightening in 



326 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



dry. For this purpose, the piece of wood "A" is sHpped up or 
down the cord, the friction of the cord against the sides of the hole 
fixing it sufficiently. 





FIG. 40. — MARI,INESPIKE HITCH. 



FIG. 41. — REGULATING LASHING. 



The "stationer's knot" (Fig. 42) is handy for tying up a parcel, 
as it can be made rapidly, and undone with ease. Make a running 
noose at the end of a piece of twine, and bring it to the center of 




STATIONER S KNOT. 



the parcel; take the twine round the parcel again at right angles, 
round the noose, and, making a bight, slip it under, as illustrated, 
A pull at the end releases the knot instantly, as can be proved by 
experiment. 



CHAPTER III 

Ties and Lashings 

A "wedding knot" or tie, used for fastening together the eyes 
at the ends of two ropes, is shown by Fig. 43. It is made by passing 
rope-yarn or marUne through the eyes backward and forward 




FIG. 43. — WEDDING KNOT. 

until strong enough, and then is fastened by taking several turns 
round the middle and fastening the ends with a reef knot. This 
forms a sort of hinge between the ropes. 




FIG. 44. — CHAIN KNOT LASHED TO SPAR. 

The "chain knot," for lashing to a spar, is illustrated by Fig. 44; 
a clove-hitch is first formed round the spar, and as many single 
hitches as required are then made. It may be finished off with any 




PIG. 45. — IMPRGVED CHAIN KNOT. 

secure knot. Figure 45 shows another and better way of making 
the chain knot. An overhand knot is formed at each turn, and, 
consequently, it is much more secure than Fig. 44. This is used for 

327 



328 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



bending yachts' sails to the gafif. As each turn forms a knot if 
the cord parts, the remainder holds firm, and does not necessarily 
come adrift, as it would be almost sure to do if it fastened as in 
Fig. 44. 




CROSS LASHING. 



Figure 46 is a "cross lashing," employed when a lever is used 
to a rope. After several turns round the rope, the lashing is crossed 
round the lever and fastened with a reef knot. All these lashings 




FIG. 47. — NECKLACE TIE. 



are used when several men are required to haul on large ropes at 
the same time. 

For the "necklace tie" (Fig. 47) several turns are taken round 
the spar to be joined, then two turns round the lashings, and it is 




FIG. 48. — PACKING KNOT. 

secured with a reef knot. When this is used as a lashing for shear- 
legs, the crossing of the two legs puts a strain on the knot, and 
effectually secures it. For this purpose it is called a Portuguese 
knot. 



ROPBWORK EVERY BOY SHOUI.D KNOW 329 

Figure 48 shows a "packing knot," used for securing large 
pieces of timber together. It is used near stone quarries for hold- 
ing the blocks of stone on to the carriages by which they are moved. 
Figure 48 represents a block of granite secured to a trolley with 
packing knots. Two or three turns are made somewhat loosely 
with cordage round the block and its carriage; a stout piece of 
wood is then inserted under the coils, and twisted round until all 
the slack is taken out and the cordage is taut. The end of the 
lever is then secured with twine to the side of the carriage, as 
shown in the right side of the figure. The other lashing is supposed 
to be all ready for tautening up. 

It is often necessary to lash two things together without showing 
an external knot, which would spoil the smoothness and neatness 
of the work — as, for instance, in whipping the two parts of a 




A 

FIG. 49. — FINISHING OFF WHIPPING. 

broken fishing-rod together. Figure 49 shows a common method 
of finishing off whipping without showing a knot. Lay one end 
forward, as at "A," then pass the other end round and round a 
sufficient number of times, hauling taut each time; three or four 
loose turns are now made, and the end passed under them back- 
ward; these are worked down into their places, and when the 
ends are hauled taut and cut off the job is completed. The end 
"A" need not come so far as shown in Fig. 49, but may be hidden 
under the coils. 

Figure 50 is another method of accomplishing the purpose. 
Instead of a single end, as in the last case, a bight of the seizing 
stuff is laid along the part to be whipped, and the turns passed 
over it; when these are completed the end is passed through the 
bight, as at "A." The end "B" is now hauled upon to bring the 
bight and the end of the rope snug under the coils. There are now 



330 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



two loops interlacing at the center of the work, and these cannot 
come undone. When the ends "A" and "B" are cut off close to 
the turns, the whole is fair and smooth. 




FiNISmNG OFF WHIPPING. 



"Nippering," or "packing," is shown in Fig. 51, This is a 
method of securing two ropes together with cross turns; these are 
hauled taut, jambing the ropes together, and are further secured 
by round turns over all, with a reef knot at the ends. 




FIG. 51. — NIPPERING. 



The "west country whipping" (Fig. 52) is an excellent method, 
and deserves to be practised oftener than it is. Bring the middle 
of the material used under the part to be whipped, raise the ends 




FIG. 52. — WEST COUNTRY WHIPPING. 



and tie an overhand knot, lower the ends and tie another under- 
neath; continue tying a single knot above and below alternately, 
finishing with a reef knot; or a round turn or two may be taken 



ROPEWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 331 





FIG. 53. — CATSPAW. 



FIG. 54. — BEGINNING CATSPAW. 




FIG. 55. — SECURING BLOCK TO ROPR. 



332 THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 

and the ends may then be secured ; but a reef knot is the most usual 
way of fastening off this whipping. This is not quite so neat 
looking a method as Figs. 49 and 50, but it is very strong and trust- 
worthy, and is an excellent way of fastening large hooks, such as 
those used for cod or conger, on to a line. 

A "catspaw" (Fig. 53) is used for attaching a rope to a tackle 
hook. Figure 54 shows how to begin it. A loop is made, and laid 
over the standing part so as to form two bights; these are rolled 
over two or three times, and the hook inserted in them. When the 
standing part is hauled upon, the hooks take the form shown in 
Fig. 44 (p. 327), and will not slip. 

Figure 55 shows a way of securing a block to a rope with a sel- 
vage strop. The middle of the selvage is placed against the rope, 
and cross timis taken until the bights come together, when the 
hook of the block is put through them. 



CHAPTER IV 

Hammock Making 

This chapter will describe the netting and slinging of hammocks. 

Hammock making requires a netting needle of one of the shapes 

shown by Figs. 56 and 57. It may be made from a piece of i^-in. 



FIG. 56. — NETTING NEEDLE. 

pearwood, beech, or boxwood about 8 in. long by f in. wide. In 
needles as shown by Fig. 57 the cord is wound round as when 
filling an ordinary shuttle, and for Fig. 56 the cord is brought 
round the end at "A" up one side, round the pin at "B," and back 



FIG. 57. — NETTING NEEDLE, 

the same side, the process being repeated on the other side of the 
needle. 

A mesh stick (Fig. 58) is made of hardwood or bone about 5 in. 
long and of an oval shape (Fig. 59) ; it may be about f in. by j in. 



Fig. 58. Fig. 59. 

FIGS. 58, 59. — MESH STICK. 

in section. At one end of the string to be used for the net tie a 
loop "A" (Fig. 60), and place the knot on a nail or hook fixed in 
some convenient position, as at "A" (Fig. 61). Place the mesh 
stick under the loop as at "B," put the cord under it, then pass the 

333 



334 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



needle through the loop and pull the cord tight. Now place the 
thumb of the left hand on the cord beyond the loop as at "A" 
(Fig, 62), and with a turn of the wrist of the right hand throw the 





FIG. 60. — LOOP IN MESHING. 



FIG. 61. — FIRST STAGE IN MESHING. 



cord to the position shown at "B," then pass the needle under the 
loop "C," then through the bight of "B," and down as at "D," 




FIG. 62. — SECOND STAGE IN MESHING. 



and draw the knot tight, which should then assume the shape 
shown by Fig. 63. The cord must be held firmly with the thumb 



ROPEWORK EVERY BOY SHOULD KNOW 335 

at "A" (Fig. 62) when pulling up the knots, as on this depends 
the uniformity of the meshes. 

To continue the netting the stick is withdrawn and placed under 
"A" (Fig. 63), and the needle is then passed under the stick as in 
Fig. 61, and brought through the loop "B" (Fig. 63), and the proc- 
cess shown by Fig. 62 is repeated to form another mesh, this 
being continued to make a chain of meshes, say forty -five or fifty 
(Fig. 64), sufficient for the width of the hammock. The loop 
"A" (Figs. 60, 61-64) that was first tied is then untied, and it 
will then be found that all the meshes are equal in size. 




FIG. 63. — THIRD STAGE IN MESHING. 



FIG. 64. — CHAIN OF MESHES. 



Next the chain is opened out at right angles to the line in which 
it was made, as shown by Fig. 65, and working across is begun by 
making a mesh at "A" (Fig. 65), then at "B," "C," and so on, 
until the length of the first lot of meshes has been reached, when 
the net is turned over and another row of meshes worked until 
the one under "A" has been reached; then the net is turned again 
and another row worked, and so on. 

The meshes are worked as shown by Fig. 62, but at first, to 
ensure uniformity, it will be well to put the loops "D" "E," "F," 
and "G" (Fig. 65) separately on the hook or nail as the meshes 
under them are made, but after a little practice a cord may be 



336 



THE BOYS' WORKSHOP 



reeved through the top Hne of meshes, tied into a loop, and passed 
over the knee and then over the foot, as the work progresses. 

There are three ways of forming the ends. An ash stick may 
be used at each end to which the end meshes are looped and tied, 
and a piece of codline may be passed through the side meshes on 
each side and attached to the ends of the sticks. At each end a 
stout cord is secured to the stick in the form of a triangle for hang- 
ing the hammock. The second plan is to tie a number of cords 




FIG. 65. — BEGINNING OF CROSS NETTING. FIG. 



66. — HAMMOCK 
CLEW. 



together by doubling them in the center and forming a loop, and 
each of the free ends, known as "nettles," is attached to one of 
the meshes of the net. The third and perhaps the best plan is to 
reeve a cord about the size of a little finger through the end mesheS 
and splice it into the form of a grommet as shown by Fig. 66. A 
thimble "A" is fixed in the end to which the supporting cords are 
attached, and the cords which are reeved through the side meshes 
are spliced into the eye "B" at "C." When these "clews" are used 
the net must be longer than for the sticks or nettles. 



INDEX 



Animal Page, 137 
Aquatic Boy, 37 
Ash Receptacle, 248 
Ash Sifter, 280 
Automatic Waterer, 146 

B 

Bean Blower, 150 

Bird House, 138 

Blacking Case, 229 

Boat Lift, 67 

Boat Shade, 66 

Bob-sled, 160 

Book Case, Sectional, 206 

Book Shelf, 208, 236 

Bow and Arrow, 125 

Box, Handkerchief, 223 

Boy in Camp, Outdoor, 7 

Boy Fisherman, 26 

Boy at Home, Outdoor, 77 

Boy Skater, 172 

Boy in Summer, Outdoor, 7 

Boy Swimmer, Devices that Will 

Him, 69 
Boy in Winter, Outdoor, 153 
Boy's Workshop, 189 



Cabin, Log, Building the Roof, 
Cabinet Stand, 224 
Camp, 7 

Camp Furniture, 16 
Camp Kitchen, 1 1 
Camp Lamp, 18 
Camp Suggestions, 15 
Camping Conveniences, 13 
Canoe, 40 
Canoe Stunts, 65 
22 



Aid 



Canoe Truck, 17 

Carryall, 17 

Chair, How to Repair, 281 

Chest Weight Machines, 254 

Chum, For My, 243 

Coaster, Single, 79 

Combination Book Case and Desk, 

216 
Combmation Clock and Shelf, 24 
Crab Trap, 32 
Curio Cabinet, 210 



Desk, 225 
Dirigible, 275 



Easily Built Means of Locomotion, 77 
Eye Knots, Hitches, and Bends, 314 



Fiddle Drill, 269 
Fish Wheel, 28 
Fishhook Holder, 17 
Fishing Rod, 26 
Flatbottom Row Boat, 37 
Flyer, 276 
For Father, 245 
For Grandma, 244 
Framing Pictures, 279 
Frog Trap, 31 
Furniture, Mission, 214 



Grip Machine, 259 
Gymnasium, Boy's, 250 
Gymnasium, Ladder, 113 
Gymnasium, Outdoor, 112 
337 



338 



INDEX 



H 

Hallowe'en Ghost, 151 
Hallowe'en Noise Maker, 274 
Hammer-throwing Device, 118 
Hammock Making, 333 
Hanging Flower Box, 246 
Hanging Whirligig, 120 
How to Build an Ice Boat, 153 
How to Build a Log Cabin, 19 
How to Make a Book Shelf, 236 
How to Make a Good Model Aero- 
plane, 93 
How to Make a Model Hydro-aero- 
plane, 85 
How to Make a Seat, 218 
How to Make a Wheelbarrow, 83 
How to Manage a Canoe, 46 
How to Run, 293 
How to Sail a Boat, 57 



Jumping Hurdle, 253 



K 

Kite, a Box, 108 
Kite, a Large Plain, 104 
Kite, Man Lifting, 106 
Kite, Parachute, 11 1 
Kite, Tubular, 109 
Kites, 104 



Log Cabin, Interior Finish, 23 
Log Cruiser, 62 
Lounge, Rustic, 202 



M 

Machine, Rowing, 250 

Marine Telescope, 34 

Miniature Ice Traps, 185 

Minnow Net, 29 

Minnow Trap, 28 

Miscellaneous Helps, 285 

Miscellaneous Things Handy for the 

Boy to Know, 127 
Mission Oil Lamp, 211 
Model Lift Bridge, 149 



N 

Novel Ideas and Hints, 278 
Novel Ideas for Christmas Presents, 
235 



Parachute, New Idea, 273 

Parallel Bars, 256 

Pile Driver Model, 267 

Plant Stand, 232 

Portable Punching Bag Disc, 263 

Punching Bag Drum, 261 

Punching Bag, Method of Handling, 

261. 
Punching Bag, Other Ways to Do It, 

264 
Punt, A, 260 

R 

Rabbit Trap, 140 

Reading Comer, 199 

Rope Work Every Boy Should Kjiow, 

307 
Rowing Machine, 250 
Runner, Double, 156 
Runner, Single, 162 



Sail Cart, 77 

Sailing Catamoran, 64 

Scooter, 80 

Sharpening Skates, 172 

Shoestring or Fob, 279 

Shoe Tree, 283 

Shoot the Chute, 74 

Signalling for Boys, 297 

Simple and Useful Knots, 307 

Skee Glider, 181 

Skees and Skeeing, 179 

Sketching Idea, 279 

Sleds, All Sorts of, 158 

Small Fur Bearers and How to Catch 

Them, 285 
Small Sail Boat, 50 
Snow Fort, 183 
Spring Board, 117 
Stand, 227 
Steering Gear, 81 
vStraddle Bug, 163 
vSwimming Float, 71 
vSwimming Help, 70 
vSwiniming vSail Raft, 62 
Swimming Teacher, 69 



INDEX 



339 



Table, 221 

Table, Checker, 214 

Table, Simple, 204 

Table, Writing, 219 

Telephone Set, 231 

Ties and Sashings, 327 

Two Tree Climbing Devices, 122 

Toys, Interesting, 267 

Trainer, Swing, 114 

Trap, Clever, 140 

Tree Tent, 143 



U 



Umbrella Holder, 236 



V 
Vaulting Horse, 258 



W 

War Sled, 165 

Waste Basket, 238 

Water Whistle, 141 

Wave Motor Signal, 144 

Whirling Swing, 116 

Wind Mill, 147 

Wind Mill, Revolving, 271 

Wind Mill, Tin, 148 

Window Seat, 201 

Wind Wagon, 269 

Winter Fun Maker, 166 

Winter Merry-go-round, 167 

Winter Sport in the Back Yard, 169 

Winter Tilting Game, 177 

Wire Climber, 123 

Work Bench, 193 

Work Bench, Smaller, 195 

Work Comer, 195 



